About the victory:
“I am ecstatic, because not only did we manage to achieve our first victory this season in the Champions League, but also because these three points are my very first in the competition. Furthermore, we offered joy to the people who attended the game and who created this wonderful atmosphere. It was a triple pleasure.”
About the game:
“We were up against the Champions of Germany; a really strong team. In the first half, things were difficult for us; the game had a very high pace. In the second half, we managed to equilibrate and win. We had to be more defensive, as Dortmund were strong and as soon as we got possession of the ball they pressured us a lot; especially in the first 20 minutes, when the game was up in our box. At that point we were troubled and so, in the second half, decided to adapt to the game’s requirements. We figured that we should draw back and counterattack.”
About the future:
“These three points give us the right to hope. We will be more self-confident in the games to follow. We are playing in a very difficult group and we knew that if we lost today, things would be extremely hard for us; highly unlikely to qualify. We now have two consecutive away games and we must think hard about how to deal with them.”
About AEK:
“Against AEK, we were just as passionate. The dare was the same but every game is different. In each game one should find the way to overcome the obstacles that may occur. On Sunday, we have a match against Panionios which, again, is a completely different story, but again, we will also play with the aim to win.”
About his tactics in the game:
“I would like for my team to take initiative, play offense and be ambitious. We try to apply this style of play to all of our games, but sometimes there are matches where we know we should be more solid at the back in order to cause our opponent more damage. I figured that with Dortmund, counterattacks would do the trick and “harm” them. Therefore, despite what we like or don’t like, at times there are games we need to adapt to. At the end of the day, all coaches basically want to win. My players are older than those of Dortmund. Our opponents have extreme talent and are in very good shape. However, the more time passed by, the better we knew how to handle the situation in our favor and hold on to our lead.”
About the tradition of Greek teams against German ones:
“I wasn’t aware that there was a tradition against German teams. If you had told me earlier, I would have been less nervous about the game against Dortmund (laughs…). German teams play well in offense but often give you the space to create opportunities. However, next time we face Dortmund, I will be just as worried. No kidding. Our next game is of great importance regarding our future in the competition. Just as important today’s game was; because without this victory things would now be very difficult for us.”
To watch the video from the Press Conference, click HERE.
