Panagiotis Retsos:
-On the qualification against Partizan: “Today’s was also a very difficult match. Thank God we managed on the away match in Belgrade, in a difficult stadium, to achieve an important away win, which is one of the most important I have achieved until now in Olympiacos. It was the first step and we managed to qualify. Last year by the same time we didn’t qualify for the next stage. The team went through a crisis, but this year we made it and we hope to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, which is really the place where Olympiacos belongs”.
-On Besnik Hasi that had stressed to the players they should face the match as if the one in Belgrade had ended 0-0: “Yes, he had told us from the first day we got back to Renti. He told us to cut the smiles and the celebrations and that we had to prepare ourselves for the second match. The truth is that we were not so concentrated today, as on the previous match in Belgrade, but the most important is the qualification and in two weeks, when we’ll play again, I believe we’ll be even more prepared and we’ll make it”.
-If there is self-confidence after the qualification against Partizan: “Sure we’ll be more prepared and I personally that lost a part of the preparation stage after my injury, but I try everyday with the trainings to reach the level I want. My team mates also help me to do it and I really believe that we’re a very good team, with good players and we’ll prove it during all the season, in the Championship, Cup and UEFA Champions League. I believe we’re a very good team and we deserve it”.
-How difficult is it for a player that has lost a part of the preparation stage to be ready for such difficult matches: “As I mentioned before, these games are life-or-death. We really looked forward to it for a long time. I personally since last year, because it was an unpleasant moment being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and this year we all wanted it, both the old players and the new ones that arrived now in the team. Having said this, I personally lost a part of the preparation stage, but I don’t want to find excuses for myself. I tried and continue trying every day and I want to reach the desirable level that I was last year and even better than that. I want to improve”.
-On the daily articles and the interest of European teams on him: “Right now I’m in Olympiacos, I play for Olympiacos and the things that are written don’t interest me. When the time comes for something further, I’ll also know it. Because right now people might write what they please, but I don’t know anything about it. Having said this, the only thing on my mind now is in two weeks the next match and the opponent we’ll get from the draw and to prepare ourselves adequately to get the victory”.
Vadis Odjidja Ofoe:
-On how he experienced the match: “It’s a fact and we knew that Partizan is a difficult opponent and we were expecting that today’s match was going to be difficult. The coach had stressed to us that, even though we won the first match, today the things were going to be difficult for us and he was proved right. Today we were not so good as on the first match, but what counts right now is the qualification and we’ll have to focus, to work hard and to prepare ourselves for the next round’s match in two weeks. We have two weeks ahead of us to work and to correct things, because it’s true we still have room for improvement”.
-On the team he prefers for the play-off: “No, I have no preference for a team. We’ll have to work hard. No matter what team we’ll get from the draw, it’s sure the matches are going to be hard. It’s not going to be easy for us to qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and we’ll have to focus and to work hard to achieve it”.
