Silva:
Do you think of becoming the one manager to break Olympiacos bad tradition in England?
We never start the game thinking it is impossible to win the match. We know how big a team Arsenal are, we know it is a difficult game but we believe in our abilities.
Does Arsenal’s weakness lie in the center of their defense?
Even if this was the case, we wouldn’t like talking about it. We are prepared to pay attention to important elements of the match; to avoid making mistakes and display on the pitch what we have worked on, without ever losing our respect for our opponent or our identity.
Has Dynamo’s win over Arsenal changed things in the group?
Yes, we could say that. If you asked who would be the top two teams in the group, most would say Arsenal and Bayern, but this is football; there is no rule what will happen. We could have also taken a good result. We are here to claim these 3 points and change things in the group. We can set no limit to our ambitions.
What level is Olympiacos currently at? Is it at least the one you want from the squad?
In football, one never stops working. You have to practice daily to become better. The side has changed a lot, so has its manager. But we are here to work day in-day out. We are satisfied of the work performed until now. However, I have to repeat: work never ends. I think we were quite competitive against Bayern. The final score does not reflect what happened during the fixture’s 90 minutes. But, when facing Bayern, one has to adapt to their style of play. We couldn’t take something out that match. As far as domestic championship is concerned, we are very satisfied with our improvement.
Are Chori and Da Costa fit for the match?
Since they are here with us, this means they are available. Chori had today his first training but he is not at his best. We will discuss with him tomorrow and see what condition he is at.
Mr Wenger said that this is a ‘must-win game’ for them. Does this apply also for Olympiacos? He is also expecting Olympiacos to be defensive-minded. Do you have any surprises for him?
I disagree we are defensive-minded. We will not alter our identity. We will adapt to the match like we did against Bayern; we will not however alter our identity. And we have no intention of doing so tomorrow. It will be a tough match in a really tough ground. We came here to show what we can do and the caliber of the club we represent. What matters is for us to give everything we got and show our fans making the trip what we are capable of.
Dominguez:
Chori, how fit are you in order to help your side in the match?
I feel better. I will try and give everything I got in terms of physical condition. If asked, I will be there to help.
How difficult is it for Olympiacos to leave the UK with a good result?
We are well prepared; the squad has been properly setup. And we have faith in the squad, we believe in ourselves. And we can break this tradition.
This is your third year in Olympiacos. How bigger has Olympiacos become during this time?
We have worked a lot and we have managed to pull off good results against major teams. I think we are getting better and better and we have to keep up this way. [We have to keep up] collecting points, both at home and away. This is the kind of respect we have earned by way of humbleness and hard work.
Arsenal is not doing so well in their recent home games. What do you think might be the crucial element to determine the outcome of the match?
We have been well prepared for the match and we know what we can do as a team. It will not be an easy match; but is there such a thing as an easy match in UEFA Champions League? However, the only way to grow bigger as a club in Europe is to take such results in away matches. And this is what we will try to do.
How easy is it to adapt oneself in a different style of play? For instance, Olympiacos had to play defense against Bayern.
Each person watches football the way he/she likes. We have prepared the match against Bayern in the way we believed we should have done. But, as it happens quite often in football, there are moments you cannot anticipate like Bayern’s first goal. Maybe things could have been different; yet, we keep on walking.
