TOPSHOT - Turkey's goalkeeper #01 Mert Gunok (L) punches the ball out in front of Turkey's defender #03 Merih Demiral (C) and Austria's midfielder #19 Christoph Baumgartner (R) during the UEFA Euro 2024 round of 16 football match between Austria and Turkey at the Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig on July 2, 2024. (Photo by Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP)
LEIPZIG: Playing in a friendly in March, Austria whipped Turkiye 6-1. So, beating the Austrians 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 was extra special for coach Vincenzo Montella.
“That was a horrible stain on my career. I was waiting to get this monkey off my back.
“We coaches, like players, we are competitors and I have that deep competitive instinct in me to reverse this result.
“This wasn’t exacting revenge but me setting things right because I’ve never lost by this scoreline in my coaching career,” the 50-year-old Italian said.
Centreback Merih Demiral was the unlikely hero with both goals in Leipzig as Turkiye reached the last eight of a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2008.
It was a cathartic triumph for Montella and his players after that big defeat earlier this year.
“We were heavily criticised for our friendly results. They didn’t pan out well and the peak of that was against Austria,” Montella told reporters.
Turkiye will face Holland in the quarter-finals on Saturday in what is sure to be a fervent atmosphere in Berlin.
Germany is home to nearly three million people of Turkish descent and Montella’s men have been backed in huge numbers in every game at the tournament so far.
“We’ve got a huge following, this passion and love is very visceral,” added Montella.
“I’m very happy to give the Turkish people here in Germany, back home and all over the world this pride.
“This support we constantly feel it but you can only embrace these dreams if you work really hard.”
“No one gave up,” Montella said. “Everyone gave a bit extra in terms of their soul, and for a head coach, you know that there are matches such as these and you can only win matches such as these if there is a soul within the squad.
“There’s that belief, that conviction. I could go on all night, but I saw all of those attributes, and that makes me very proud.”
It’s a far cry from before the tournament. Optimism had been low for Turkiye, who have failed to advance past the group stage at the last two tournaments and haven’t qualified for a World Cup since their third-place in 2002.
They failed to win any of their four friendlies in 2024, drawing one, with Italy, and losing to Hungary and Poland, two sides which went out at the group stage, along with their hammering by Austria.
But, there is a spirit in the side now, which has taken them this far.
Roared on by the cacophony of their cheering fans and played in pouring rain, Turkish keeper Mert Gunok put an exclamation mark on a dramatic match with a superb stoppage-time save.
Turkiye’s victory prompted celebrations of honking car horns and waving flags across many cities in Germany.
“I saw Turkish heart today and that’s what I love about this country,” Montella said.
The victory came despite Turkiye missing suspended captain Hakan Calhanoglou and defender Samet Akaydin due to suspension and they will be missing Orkun Kokcu and Ismail Yuksek against Holland due to the accumulation of yellow cards.
Asked whether being forced to change up his squad can be an advantage – it might make them more difficult for Holland to prepare for – Montella laughed and said: “It’s a bit of a headache rather than being fun.” — Agencies
