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Demichelis downbeat after Málaga defeat

Martín Demichelis was "hugely disappointed", but Júlio Baptista said Málaga CF had to be proud of "a fantastic first season in the Champions League" despite a dramatic exit.

Demichelis downbeat after Málaga defeat
Demichelis downbeat after Málaga defeat ©UEFA.com

Málaga CF defender Martín Demichelis told UEFA.com the team were "hugely disappointed" after being eliminated by two last-gasp Borussia Dortmund goals in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg. The former FC Bayern München centre-back felt the Spanish side would have been worthy last-four contenders, while forward Júlio Baptista remained magnanimous in defeat, reflecting on a remarkable debut season in the competition for the Iberian upstarts.

Martín Demichelis, Málaga defender
We're hugely disappointed because we're out of a great competition. There wasn't much separating us from a place in the semi-finals. We probably went out in the most painful way possible. We played well for the whole 90 minutes and could even have made it 3-1, but then we conceded two and that really hurt.

We can fly home with our heads held high. Hardly anyone believed we could do it after we drew 0-0 in the first leg, but we were closer to victory than Dortmund for long periods of the match. I think we would have deserved a place in the semi-finals.

Júlio Baptista, Málaga forward
We didn't go out this evening because we were worse than Dortmund, we just had a lot of bad luck. We kept on creating good chances and could have made it 3-1, and that would have been game over.

Dortmund won in the end and they're the ones celebrating – but that's football. You have to be able to lose – it's part and parcel of the game. We can be proud of a fantastic first season in the Champions League.

Willy, Málaga goalkeeper
We're all devastated. We played really well and threw away our place in the semi-finals in the last minute. It's a bitter pill to swallow. There was a big crowd of players involved in their third goal and unfortunately we didn't manage to clear the ball – although we should have. We shouldn't let our heads drop after this, though. We have to look forward and set ourselves fresh targets for the future.