How do you feel after the closure of your team’s participation to Champions League, especially given your great effort to turn the score around?
First of all, we’re not happy, as we did not achieve our first objective, which was to qualify to the next round of Champions League. We knew that before the match. So, we wanted to achieve the other two objectives of ours; win, in order to be among the top-seed teams at the draw, and offer a nice spectacle and a victory to our fans. We achieved both of those. Champions League is the ultimate European competition and all those who play football want to be a part of it. Europa League is an important competition too, but we’ll get to that from February onwards.
Is this victory a psychology booster for the upcoming derby against Panathinaikos?
It was a big victory for our squad. This proves that our team does not consist of only 11 players. We always have the necessary solutions to try to win in many ways and turn a match around. We showed that in Montpellier as well. We know what our strong points are and when we will need them. The important thing is that we achieved an important victory.
Mr. Wenger said that Olympiacos were disqualified from the next round of Champions League because they weren’t ready at the opening match, due to the fact that the championship starts late in Greece. Do you agree with that?
I agree that we weren’t ready when we played against Schalke for two reasons. The first is because the championship starts late, so we weren’t ready as we hadn’t played at that many matches. The second reason lies to the changes in ours team. There were lots of new players and some of them came on the last minute, shortly before the championship’s kick-off.
You are the fourth coach of Olympiacos who doesn’t get through to the next round of Champions League with nine points. What do you have to say about that?
I’m sad that we didn’t manage to get through to the next round. I believe that this is something that should alert us for the future, so that, next time, we are more careful at the opening match and have more chances to advance.
Is there a gain for your team by the fact that a young man of 21 years of age, like Manolas, played in all Champions League matches? Siovas has also played in many matches, your line-up in Montpellier comprised six Greek players.
It is true that Olympiacos have more Greek players, and especially young ones. Though they are young and inexperienced, they have the necessary skills and tremendous potential; so, with their work, they will continue to help the team.
Your changes contributed a great deal to the score being turned around. Can this particular line-up, after the substitutions you made, become some sort of guide in view of the derby?
We prepare a structure for our game and this has nothing to do with specific players. During a match, we turn our style more or less offensive. Tonight, the course of the match dictated the use of more offense-oriented players. We had to be more risky and boost up our offensive line. This is our way of thinking at every match. It always depends on the score and the match’s needs at that particular moment.
