Zenit Knocked Out of Europa League

By Daniel Kozin

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: March 20, 2013 (Issue # 1751)

FC Zenit St. Petersburg’s European campaign ended in disappointment Thursday, when the team was knocked out of the UEFA Europa League by FC Basel 1893 in a dramatic Round of 16 encounter at the Petrovsky stadium.

In what was the second installment of a two-leg tie that would take the victor to the quarter-finals of the competition, the St. Petersburg side was ultimately unable to upend a 0-2 deficit inherited from the first clash in Switzerland the week prior.

Zenit put in a battling performance from start to finish, and took confident control of the match after Axel Witsel’s goal at the half hour mark, sparking hopes of a comeback in the scenario of another goal, which would put the aggregate score at 2-2. A red card to Basel midfielder Marcelo Diaz just before half-time further enlivened the home stadium and players, and the shots rained in during a frenetic second half that become increasingly desperate as the clock ticked towards elimination.

Zenit’s Miguel Danny fired over when clear on goal, Vladimir Bystrov hit the bar, and Hulk fizzed a long-range shot inches wide. The moment of truth, however, came in the 86th minute, when a penalty awarded against Basel brought a thousands-strong sigh of relief around the stadium. The chance was ultimately squandered, however,as team captain Roman Shirokov’s shot straight down the middle was deflected by Basel’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

While the 1-0 victory brought an end to Zenit’s recent series of three straight defeats, a first under Italian coach Luciano Spalletti, the two-time Russian championship winning coach was visibly dejected at the post-match press conference when analyzing the performance.

“We left the Europa League today, but the team showed that we really have a strong group of players, capable of achieving significant results. But the feeling of defeat blocks out all other emotions and thoughts,” he said.

Despite speculation about the future of the coach as head of the team, the club issued a statement of “full support” for the Italian before the game, and a statement followed the defeat from Gazprom head and Zenit sponsor Alexei Miller, who cited a poem by Italian Noble Prize-winning poet Eugenio Montale in an expression of personal support.

Spalletti’s men followed up on their performance in Sunday’s 1-0 home victory against FC Mordovia Saransk in the Russian Premier League, as the team shifts their sights towards retaining their domestic crown.