Crystal Palace drew 2-2 with Besiktas, with Jean-Philippe Mateta on the scoresheet. Pierre Sage spoke after the forward played an hour on his first start since returning from injury.
Mateta scores on first start back
Mateta played an hour and scored on his first start since returning from injury. Sage said: "He was in a good area, it was a good moment for him just before coming off, because he was not really ready to play a full 90 minutes."
Sage said: "You see him tired, but when you have this mindset, when you want to play every ball and you give your life on the pitch, sometimes it’s good for you."
Sage on the team display
Sage said: "We have a lot of satisfactions with the individual performances."
Sage said: "But I have to underline that, first of all, it’s about the collective performance."
Sage said: "They’re willing to play, they’re willing to go forward, they’re willing to press."
Sage said: "And I think at the end, they made a good game, without the deserved result."
Sage said: "A little bit frustrated for the lads, because they gave a lot this evening and I think they deserve better."
Lead slips away
Sage said Palace let a 2-1 lead slip.
Sage said: "We lacked concentration in the final minute of the first half, at the end."
Sage said: "It was the same thing when we were 2-1 up."
Sage said: "In this kind of situation, you pay quickly if you make a little mistake."