Paulo Bento
What would you like to take out of the first match and what to fix from the side’s mistakes?
“Every match is a different one and requires a strategy of its own. We want to give our game style a certain identity δική του στρατηγική. For tomorrow, what matters in not to have our minds set in the 1st leg’s 0-1, not to try and defend that result, to be aggressive, to score and rule the game, to play as if the 1st match never happened. We do not want to get stuck to the 0-1 result in Portugal. We want to display a certain character, score a lot and move on to the next stage”.
It was normal when you told us last week that you couldn’t have done many things in one week. This is your second week in Olympiacos; was it helpful so as to see if your players can deliver some of the things you want?
“The more the times passes, the better we get to know our players. Our aim now is to give the team a certain identity. However, the first thing in our minds is to implement the best possible strategy that will lead us to the group stage. We are working every day; players get to know us better, so do we. Last week, we have had very few days to make changes and some desired adjustments. We are currently on a good track and we will continue working this way”.
This is going to be your premiere also in Karaiskakis. Do you want a good team display on top of that?
“Of course. As everyone knows, our first objective is to go through to the group stage. Our players are aware of our concept, they know what they have to do and they also know what to expect from Arouca, which will be different to the first match. We have been prepared to play the match and qualify. Unless you play well, you don’t get the win. We have to perform well, have a certain character in our performance and try to show that on the pitch, before our fans, apart from getting the result we need.”
After two weeks at the helm of Olympiacos, what has been your experience out of these first days of yours in the club? How is it going this effort to boost the players’ morale and do you finally see some happy faces at Rentis?
“There is no good in talking about the past. Nothing good comes out of sticking to the past, getting upset for something that belongs to the past or talking about other colleagues. We must always show respect to one’s work. Currently, our aim is to qualify to the group stage. That’s what we are working on and training for; we want to achieve our target because faces become happy when one wins matches. We got one in the first leg and now we want to properly complete this qualification. Things will be hard, our opponent will approach this match differently. They will enter the pitch in a different spirit, but we are working to correct ourselves and we believe that if we display similarly to what we did in the first leg’s first 60 minutes in Portugal, then the result will be definitely a good one. This is what we are working on in trainings, and when wins and good results come, then faces will be happier. Our goal is to forget what happened in the past”.
While Olympiacos is getting ready for the match against Arouca, there are people coming in and out of the roster. Is it hard to prepare your players in this particular period?
“You mainly refer to Jimmy (Durmaz) leaving the club. This is the difference. Maybe you refer to players that may come or have come already. We are currently focused on tomorrow’s match. We plan this match’s strategy given the players in this roster. We don’t take into account players that may come by the end of August. We want to use the players already available to us”.
Figueiras picked up his second yellow card in the first match; how will you cover his suspension?
“It is true that we have analyzed that a lot in the past week. We have come up with some solutions; some others, unfortunately, are not possible, like using Omar. We have time to decide on the best possible alternative”.
A comment on Marko Marin?
“A player of great quality, extremely skillful and experienced in top clubs. He is a player who can help us. But we will think about that past tomorrow’s match. Until then, all our focus in on the encounter against Arouca”.
How fit and ready to play is Andre Martins?
“He is available. He has been training with the team since the day we returned from Arouca. He is a player we count in for the squad. Tomorrow, we will have our final decisions on whether to use him or not”.
Alberto Botia
Olympiacos has been the favorite before the draw. Following 0-1 in Portugal, the odds have been increased in your favor. However, what should you be careful of in the return match against Arouca?
“For us, being the favorite has never been part of our concerns. When one plays in Europe, all matches are difficult and we knew this draw would be a difficult one. The fact that our opponent has made it so far, it means that they are a quality team. So, we have to respect them. Tomorrow, we will have to be careful. We do have a one-goal advantage, but we have to be ourselves, to play the way we can and do our job properly”.
What would you say about Mr Bento now that you have an official match and 2 weeks of training as a testament of his work?
“It is true that we are talking about just a few days, but the squad has been well adapted to him; he works really well, intensity in training has been increased, we are working as hard possible and we are ready to assimilate the things he asks from us. We work the most and the best we can to adjust ourselves and make sure we get the best possible results in the future”.
