Esteban Cambiasso:
-On the match against Besiktas: “I believe we were better on the first half. We scored and we were ahead. However, afterwards we slowed down, mainly due to our physical but also psychological condition, because when you concede a goal, it affects the team’s spirit. Nevertheless, the most important was the fatigue we experienced on the second half and we have to admit that our opponent was better in that part. We have a good result. First of all, our heart must speak on the second leg and, before that, we must concentrate on Sunday’s match against Atromitos”.
-On his return to the fields after approximately one and a half months: “I think this disappointment, to be away for so long, doesn’t go away. I had to wait for a while so as to enter the field today and to help my team. It wasn’t a reply because everyone who knows me knows that I always enter the field with a great will to give everything I have. I’m very sorry that I had to leave on the 60th minute and I couldn’t help more my team. I think that’s a consequence of being away for so long”.
-On the second leg against Besiktas next Thursday: “It will be hard, as it was today in here. However, I think the team, after a big change, gave a very good reply today, in terms of behaviour and performance. The fans recognized it in the end of the match. At this level every match is decisive. It’s not so important if the match is at home or away. You have to play in whatever stadium being concentrated and working hard in the same way. We’ll have to be prepared for a difficult match. But first we have to be prepared for Sunday’s match against Atromitos”.
Karim Ansarifard:
-Your comments on the match: “First of all, I want to thank immensely our fans. They were fantastic today. They created a wonderful atmosphere and they really supported us from the first to the last minute. For this reason, I don’t want at all to skip thanking them. On today’s match we really started well and we got ahead on the score. We didn’t allow our opponent to create us difficult or dangerous situations. We didn’t give them any opportunity and I think we played really well during the first half. Afterwards, the truth is our performance fell, we conceded a goal and from then on we lost the balance in our game. However, it’s not over. We’re waiting for the next match and we’re sure that over there we’ll give everything we have and we’ll qualify, because we’re Olympiacos, one of the best teams in this competition and I want us to be the ones to continue in it”.
-On the role that changing the coach had: “It’s Olympiacos, therefore it’s obvious that we enter with energy in our matches and we give everything we have. I feel this is the way in this stadium and in this atmosphere when we play with Olympiacos’ jersey, and this is how we’ll enter on every match. It’s natural to have a great spirit, to give all you’ve got, to enter with energy and to be strong. This is what I’ll do as long as I wear Olympiacos’ jersey until my contract ends. I don’t know until then, but I’ll always enter strong like this”.
-How many possibilities do you give Olympiacos to qualify for the next round: “Everyone knows Besiktas and we know they’re a great team. However, we’re also Olympiacos. We want to give everything so as to have the possibilities on our side. We’ll go to Istanbul and the only thing in our mind will be to play well, to win and to be the ones to qualify. I don’t think about anything else, nothing else exists on our minds, apart from going to Turkey to win and get the qualification”.
