In the club where you performed miracles as a player, you used to have “Saint Iker”. Tonight Olympiacos was protected by “Saint Roberto”, wasn’t it? Did you expect that display tonight?
We are very glad with our keepers and thankfully Roberto was tonight something much more than … a Saint. I don’ t know what’s higher than that in the list. The Pope maybe? Tonight we performed poorly; we lost our most important element that is ball possession. We played defense too close to the goalmouth, and waited for the result, but not that kind of play build-up. We are not a side that keeps defending like tonight. That wasn’t our intention. We wanted to play higher in the pitch, to add pressure on the oppoenent while keeping possession. We failed to do so and our subs didn’t help us in that. I don’t want to say anything more as an excuse. I am very happy since we have collected 7 points in 4 matches and this is the fair thing if one comes to think about it in total. We managed to win a match thanks to this goalkeeper, who’s been absolutely marvelous tonight.
we saw you hugging Roberto after the end. Did you say something to him?
Roberto suffered a lot. Football was fair with him. That was a Roberto’s payback for his spell in Benfica when thingshad tuned out bad for him. Tonight, he proved that he is a great goalkeeper. That was a great night to make this statement. I also told him that I invite him for dinner at my place.
Following tonight’s result, will you make it to the last 16?
we are very close, we are one victory short. We still have 2 fixtures ahead and we must deliver. We must not settle just with qualifying if we don’t“
Did you expect that in such an important match nothing would go as planned and it would take just one moment and your goalkeeper to earn this result?
indeed, the way we performed tonight wasn’t our style of play. But, when things don’t go as planned, one must adapt to the circumstances of the encounter. And if someone doubts the way we played, then they have to bring in mind the match against PSG in which our display was excellent. Yet, you all saw that we returned home with not a single point collected. Moreover, after the fixture in Lisbon, we flew back with a draw at hand and tonight we made justice to that draw. If you ask me whether the final result was fair, my reply is “yes”. This is the group stage, points come and go and, in my view, our seven points are fair. And if you ask me whether we must play differently in order to go through as far as possible, my reply is “certainly”. I haven’t escaped reality, do not doubt that.
Olympiacos suffered great pressure both tonight and in the recent derby match. Is that a problem and should you tackle it?
I do not agree with you. I believe that in the derby we had ball possession and, in that match, despite pressure by the opponent, we were patient and thus created chances in the last 20 minutes. We had control of the match. This was how we should have played tonight’s match. Today things were different and I give you credit. Tonight we lost possession, we become more tired because we have been chasing our opponent the way the match evolved. It wasn’t easy to play such a match after the derby against Panathinaikos. I always want to have possession of the ball, but it doesn’t always happen this way. But if you ask me whether I want my goalkeeper like that, then yes, that’s how I want him.
Did you see the President at the dressing room? If yes, will you ask him to buy Roberto;
no, I didn’t see him. First we complete this year’s campaigns and then we will talk about buying Roberto. I wish this would happen. And if Roberto asks so, let the coach stay here as well. In fact, I wish Roberto would ask him that I stay more than I would ask him to keep Roberto in the club (laughter).
This victory brings you so close to the last 16. What is this team’s ceiling?;
I have to have faith in my squad. This moment we are please, we will enjoy the moment and will try not to think farther than that for the time being.
Should you maybe reconsider about some players who fall short of tonight’s expectations? And what happened with Weiss?
truly, we weren’t the ones we wanted. Many of our players failed to do many of those we wanted and that was certainly due to some mistakes of our won. On Weiss, he had some problems yesterday. Yesterday, he told me, while practicing on set pieces, that he wasn’t feeling alright. He told me the same today morning and he felt sorry for not being able to help. I always ask players to fight in every match, which they failed to do tonight.
