Viking captain Zlatko Tripić certainly sounds like he enjoyed his personal battle with Michael Olise — and made no secret of his satisfaction after helping get the Bayern Munich winger sent off during the 3-3 draw between the teams in the Champions League.
Olise, one of the most technically gifted players in Vincent Kompany’s squad, lost his composure during Bayern’s clash with the Norwegian side, throwing the ball at Tripić and receiving a red card for the incident. For the Viking captain, it was
a moment of vindication after deliberately trying to take the Frenchman out of his comfort zone.
“It’s great that such a player, who will most likely win the Ballon d’Or someday, is annoyed about a guy from Oftebro and Lyngdal. He shouldn’t have expected to get too comfortable here. And when I managed to distract him from what he’s exceptionally good at, he finally lost his cool and threw the ball in my face. I feel like I won that duel with him,” Tripić told TV2 (via @iMiaSanMia).
Tripić clearly relished getting under the skin of one of the biggest names Bayern Munich had on the pitch. While Olise possesses the quality to decide matches with a single moment of brilliance, Viking showed that opponents can target his temperament just as much as his technical ability.
From Bayern Munich’s perspective, this is a frustrating lesson. Olise is too important to the team’s attacking plans to be leaving his teammates in the lurch over a moment of frustration.
Tripić may feel he won their individual duel, but Bayern Munich will hope Olise will let his football do the talking the next time an opponent tries to provoke him. The talent is undeniable; keeping his head must be part of the package, too.
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