Timi Max Elšnik (foto: Uradni facebook profil kluba)
Crvena zvezda suffered a 2-1 defeat to Benfica at the "Rajko Mitić" Stadium in the first round of the Champions League, and Slovenian international Timi Maks Elšnik shared his thoughts after the match.
The Slovenian midfielder agreed that Crvena zvezda could have at least snatched a point from the game.
"Definitely. We missed a lot in the first 25 minutes. We lost concentration and focus. We kept giving the ball away in dangerous areas, and they have the quality to punish that. The atmosphere in the stadium dropped a bit after it was 2-0 for them. In the second half, we came out strong and showed that we have quality.
We controlled the game, had chances to score, and it felt like only a matter of time before we’d get a goal, but it just wouldn’t go in. I feel like we deserved more, but we’re to blame for the poor start. There are many things we can build on from this," Elšnik said.
The injury to Ognjen Mimović forced Seol to take the right-back position, and Elšnik was shifted to left-back.
"I didn’t expect it. The injury happened, and I hope Mimović will be okay. These are things that shouldn’t surprise you; anything is possible in football. We’re thin at full-back."
"They asked me if I could cover, and I said I could. I play all positions, though this one is a bit different, but I think I did a good job. I hope I won’t be stuck there for long. I felt comfortable in the middle, but you have to sacrifice for the team," the Slovenian footballer added.