In detail:
Michel
Man. United has had a very difficult year; they lost 3-0 to Liverpool and Moyes is under great pressure. Will you be using that to your benefit?
We are very well aware of their situation; they are in tight balance, yet this is none of our business. We want to play a good match and finish up with the qualification. Nothing but that is in our minds; we are not going to dwell on Man. United’s condition.
What will be the key in tomorrow’s fixture? What do you believe that Olympiacos should have in order to qualify?
We’d love having a match just like the one in Piraeus, yet we know that, tomorrow, Man. United will be different and more determined and will be driven by a greater need. We want to play a good match from our part; we will not be thinking of what Man. United is going to do. I am the one saying that we need to score a goal in order to claim our chances to move forward. We will not rely on first leg’s 2-0.
What do you reckon about David Moyes’ first year at Man. United?
Despite the fact we have conflicting interests for tomorrow’s match, I don’t like watching coaches suffering. Moyes is currently suffering, Man. United is a great club, good results are yet to occur, but, for such a great club, I believe they will give him the chance to make things right in the future.
Do you believe that your players will be intimidated by the fact that they will try for the first time to knock out an English outfit?
Our players are intimidated by nothing. Maybe it is the coach who’s afraid a bit more; not the players. And since they are the ones to play, certainly everything will go fine.
Does it impress you how poorly Man. United performed in the first leg?
In football, one gets the chance to display one’s work. There are no secrets between us, everyone knows the other well; what happened then, it was that we played well and deserved to win. But tomorrow it is going to be a brand new match. The first leg is over. What we need now is a good result. We must not settle for the first leg’s result.
In September, some suggested that you are not a good coach for Olympiacos and now you are just a hair away from disqualifying Man. United. How do you like that?
I believe that all those who complained in September were right! What they didn’t expect or know, it was that our players would give the answer and they helped me look good.
Mr. Moyes said that Kagawa will play a part during the match. What do you reckon about this player?
I believe he is a dynamic and fast player. He is good in offense and he proved that in the few minutes he performed in the first leg. What remains now to be seen is what his actual position will be. This will affect how Moyes will set the team.
We learned that you attended the match against Liverpool. What do you have to say about the atmosphere and Saviola. Is he going to cap?
The atmosphere in the Old Trafford is pure magic. It helps Manchester to get wins in general. Javier Saviola is really well, thank you!
How do you intend to approach this match and will that be like you did in the Paris, Lisbon and Brussels matches.
The approach will be the same. We have played against top sides in great pitches and the idea of our gameplay remains the same. This time we have this 2-0, we may continue on the same track. However, even though we have an advantage from the first leg, at this moment the ties starts from the beginning.
Will knocking Moyes out be your career’s top moment?
I really have feeling os empathy for all coaches, because I am in their shoes. We know very well that he is a hard worker. Many times results do not match the work we do. This is not a personal fight against Moyes. It’s Olympiacos effort to make it through to the next round. Just claiming our qualification against Man. United is a great thing on its own. Mr. Moyes is an opponent, he is no enemy.
Avraam Papadopoulos
Are the players stressed?
Certainly, this is a very important match for all of us; probably, this is the most important one in recent years. Having said that, there is no stress. There is a will for the time to come and play the match the way we know. Of course, there is a bit of nervousness until kick-off. Once the match begins, all stress gets rejected. We will try to do our duty. Certainly, we have to face a tough opponent, but we believe that we can go through.
As the team captain, what do you say about the spirit inside the team ahead of this match? Do you see it a major challenge?
We are happy to be here. I think this is very important. It’s what Olympiacos would aim for, to make it o the last 16. The side has demonstrated all this time that it is capable of going through. The spirit inside the squad is great and results are evident of that. We are into all three campaigns. This is something very important that must be maintained and I believe that Olympiacos is going to step up a level. If we check our results in the Champions League, I think they speak for themselves.
Bringing to our memory Olympiacos matches at the group stage, the side was not just strictly defending but tried to build up its play. Should we expect something of the kind tomorrow night?
It is very important that our side tries, since the beginning, to play the kind of football out coach wants; that is, to impose its pace and keep a balance between its lines. That’s what the coach has also said. What we will do is to play our game. Of course, we will be very careful, we will not sit back and defend. We will take the game to them. We will have to be absolutely concentrated. If we display the passion, the will and the fighting spirit necessary, then we will take what we need.
The last two times Olympiacos visited the Old Trafford, it scored no goals and got knocked out. Do you think that you will have to claim this one goal?
It is like I said before. What I hate doing is predicting whether we will score or not. Our mind will be set to play our game, like we have worked on for so long. As we know, luck is also needed. We will do anything possible to score; that would be the best for our side. But, as you said, it is going to be a tough match. Man. United is very good team and it gets stronger when playing at home.
If Olympiacos scores one tomorrow, will that actually the end of the tie?
No. I think Man. United is a colossal club. We have not displayed signs of arrogance against any of the sided we played so far. What we know is that a match lasts 90 minutes and we will give everything for 90 minutes. Should we score one goal, then that certainly will not be the end of the match. Man. United is a side what has overturned many matches in the past. However, we will be set from the first movement to produce our own game.
There will be 4000 Olympiacos fans at the stands. What’s your message to them?
We have to show on the pitch that we honor our jersey, we give our best, we give everything we got. Our fans will be our strength. We will have many of them tomorrow with us and this is an additional incentive for us, to give them joy.
