Pedro Martins and Kostas Tsimikas held the pre-match Press Conference ahead of our side’s match against Bayern Munich
Words by Mr Pedro Martins:
What do you expect after Bayern’s change of coach? Do you anticipate something to change?
“In fact, we expect no major changes. Their new coach has had no time to proceed with changes. Perhaps, different players will be capped or their formation, but we are not able to know more about their lineup. I reckon, however, their philosophy will remain the same”.
After your home match against Bayern, you have been satisfied despite your defeat. What will make you feel satisfied after the end of this encounter?
“In no case are we satisfied with the first match’s result. No one is satisfied when one loses. We displayed well as a whole and gave all we got on the pitch. I hope tomorrow we will reach the same level of performance. This time things are different, we are playing an away match, Bayern have changed their coach and we shall have to be more efficient. So, we don’t say we were happy after the first match because we had lost”.
Judging by Tsimikas words, the squad seems to feel really confident. Is this an element that will play a role in this match?
“Who is to feel confident if not Olympiacos? We believe in ourselves; we are here to do the best we can. Our aspirations are high and we want to make history in Allianz Arena. We will have to play with passion and patience, and to make use of all good chances we produce. It is important to have the same level of performance like we did in the first match”.
Do you think about facing Bayern in the same way you did against Red Cross or will you opt for more experienced players in your starting lineup?
“I have great trust on our roster’s quality and everyone featuring in this squad is of great value. I always select the right players who will be able to deal with the particularities of this encounter. The lineup to be capped will be the best possible. I could tell you the starting XI right now, but I will not; and since we have nurtured a relationship of trust within us and we have built a really healthy environment, I don’t want to ruin that”.
You really missed Mathieu Valbuena in the first math and he had to struggle to make it for the Xanthi match. What’s his current state of fitness? Is he to be included in your starting XI tomorrow evening?
“It is very likely that he will be part of our squad. He’s left his injury behind. In Xanthi, he didn’t start the match because he was not fit enough. He is a quality player and a skillful one in set pieces. Currently, after 3-4 training sessions, we may say he is absolutely healthy and fit to perform”.
Words by Kostas Tsimikas:
It’s one of the matches that the eyes of all European fans are fixed upon; what do you expect out of this encounter?
“Firstly, I expect my team to produce some beautiful football. As per myself, I expect to give everything for the win. It will be a tough match, we know that already; however, we came here with the sole objective to win”.
Bayern face problems. Their coach has left, a new one just joined. How do you expect your opponent to perform?
“We certainly expect Bayern to play well tomorrow evening. I believe they will apply the same plan they had with their previous coach. Bayern will always be Bayern, one of Europe’s top clubs. It also depends on how we will play. We have to perform like we did in Karaiskakis and show we have a really good team”.
Your last encounter was a really tight one. What about tomorrow’s?
“We have worked on our plans with our coach during our training session at Rentis. The key is for us to follow it closely. We are Olympiacos and, in the past, we have beaten sides of such a high caliber, like Bayern; we hope this will also happen tomorrow”.
What does it mean for you to play against footballers of great value? How do you perceive this experience as a player and a human being?
“When I started playing football, this was the dream of a lifetime. I am happy to have made it so far, yet this means nothing to me. I train hard to face such players and I wish this joy I feel be coupled with a win tomorrow”.
