CSKA victory sends Trabzon to Europa

LILLE, France

Trabzonspor’s Adrian Mierzejewski looks at the end of his team’s Champions League match against Lille.

A late winner from CSKA Moscow’s Vasili Berezutski deprived Trabzonspor a chance to play in the knockout rounds of the Champions League on Dec. 7.

Trabzonspor held Lille to a draw, but it finished its group on third spot after CSKA Moscow beat Inter Milan 2-1 to get the second place.

Inter has already won the group to advance to the round of 16.

If not for the 87th minute goal, Trabzonspor was likely to be celebrating playing in the knockouts in its first Champions League experience.

“We are sad and happy at the same time,” coach Şenol Güneş said after the game. “We are happy because we were written off at the start of the group and showed we are no pushovers. Of course we are sad because we were so close to making it happen.”

After getting the third spot, Trabzonspor will continue to play in the Europa League.
On CSKA side, it was pure bliss.

“I believed we could win but I didn’t really believe Lille would draw with Trabzonspor so I’m very happy,” CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky said. “The remaining teams in the Champions League are all teams of a very high level and it’s hard to pick one out to avoid, but if I had to choose I’d pick Real Madrid.”