In detail:
As you have signaled in yesterday’s training, Olympiacos reacted n the best possible way. However, and with no intention to crucify Meriah, it is his 3rd or 4th match in which he turns out to be devastating. How do you feel about this?
“As per the match itself, at this level no such mistakes are allowed because it goes without saying we will pay for them. The way you put it, he turns to be a critical player and the team paid a price. We have to analyze that because it has to be further discussed. Players in this position do have issues. Avraam feels a minor discomfort, Cisse is sidelined, and the issue has to be settled. It has to do with his state of mind regardless of whether mistakes are made. They do affect him, however. We don’t want to say more about that”.
To what extent will this two-faced performance by Olympiacos affect the side ahead of the PAOK match and do you think you should have had your subs in at an earlier point?
“Indeed, we set out well and Mourinho had his subs in when his side was really suffering. He had to intervene to help his side του. We know that when one plays against Tottenham, there are certain things one must endure. We expected to have pressure. We knew we should have been more cold-blooded and take reasonable decisions. We should have reacted better in the period between 2-2 and 3-2. We should have been more composed; we came here prepared to withstand the pressure. I repeat that, at this level, such mistakes should not occur”.
Will this result have an impact on your state of mind ahead of the PAOK match?
“On Sunday, our reaction will be positive. There is no doubt, we will not be affected by this evening’s result. We will be absolutely composed and strong. From the very first moment we qualified to the Champions League, we knew there would be a big difference, but we were to represent Greek football and presented Olympiacos the way the club deserved. When we perform like that in a match and we see ourselves with only one point, this is bitter. We are disillusioned. Let us be pragmatists, since we knew that we were to fight for 3rd place against such opponents. The match against Red Cross will be a final for us”.
You said the match against Red Cross will be a final. Will this qualification be the yardstick for the success of this year’s campaign?
“We have nothing of this sort in our mind, since we are at a point we need rest and prep for Sunday’s match. Having said that, there is no point in talking about things that will happen after the Red Cross fixture. Our mind is set on PAOK. Rest assured we collect more points for Greece”.
What did Mourinho tell you in the end?
“We talked only about football stuff…”.
