Olympiacos is to play against Aston Villa, Thursday 02/05 at 22:00, in the first semifinal of the UEFA Europa Conference League. The coach of the red-and-white outfit held the press conference on English soil; Youssef El Arabi spoke on behalf of the players.
The Press Conference as delivered by the Basque coach in detail:
It is the biggest match in the history of Olympiacos; how do you face this great challenge?
We will prepare this match in the same way we do for all games. This match is significant, but we will not change anything regarding our preparation, and we are here to win it.
Is there a good result in a first leg of a European competition semifinal? And if yes, what is it?
Certainly, a positive result is the best way to start the tie. A win or a draw, but this will be judged based on how the match unfolds. In any case, our goal is to win.
Have you finalized the team’s plan for the match, and also, what is considered the most crucial element for the encounter?
If I knew what the decisive point of the match would be, we would certainly have a significant advantage. We are prepared, and I have decided on my plans. I am waiting for the final training session, but in general, I have decided what to do even if there is an unexpected situation in training, I am still ready to face it. The most important thing, however, is to face this match with calmness, as we have done in the games we have played so far. We are playing against a great team from the Premier League, but we should not fear just because we are to play against a big English team. If we make that mistake, we won’t be able to achieve much on the field. We respect the opponent, but we have come here with respect for the opponent to achieve things.
You will meet a coach who has won the Europa League many times. How prepared are you to meet Unai Emery again? Also, does the fact that Aston Villa has not been defeated in Europe this season say anything to you?
Emery beats me 4-1 in the European Cups. I have won a title in Europe, but it’s very “fresh,” just the previous season. I like this, and I’m stuck with it, I like playing in Europe too, everyone likes it, it’s something special. But those who step onto the field are the players, we are here to guide them, help them, and give them the best instructions; the protagonists are the players.
How will you stop Watkins, who has scored 26 goals this season?
He is a good player, but there are ten other players on the field for Aston Villa. We have prepared to face an entire team and not just one player. We have analyzed the details for all the players and know their strengths and weaknesses, and we will try to deal with them collectively rather than individually.
You have said that your offensive philosophy does not change, but now Olympiacos is facing the best team it has encountered this season; are you considering changing anything?
We have played against other good opponents; Aston Villa is a strong team, but we have also faced other equally strong teams. If a team should change its style and approach because of an opponent from the Premier League, we would be a laughingstock if we did such a thing, and the opponent would be better than us. No, we cannot change our game; we will be ourselves and we will be good as always.
It’s a historic moment for Olympiacos, but also for you as you participate for the second time in a European competition’s semifinals; from your experience, what will you say to your players to give them an extra push?
We cannot change anything from what we have done so far; from the moment we are here, it means we have done things right. Maybe we will improve some things, but we will not change anything. We will do what we have done so far. We want to see Olympiacos do well in everything it has done so far, and then we will have chances to qualify for the final. But we don’t plan to change anything; it doesn’t matter where we are and who the opponent is because it doesn’t make sense just because we play against another opponent to change things. We have followed a path so far, and we will continue in the same way.
El Arabi: ‘We are here because we deserve it’
It’s Olympiacos’ biggest match in its history; how do you face this great challenge?
As soon as one steps onto this field, one needs nothing else to be motivated to compete in this match. After the journey we have made, we deserve to be here; we are here full of expectations, and as soon as we arrived here, we realized that it was time for this match.
Aston Villa has shown from the matches it has played that it concedes goals easily; is this a good thing for the strikers?
Of course, as we play against all teams, so with Aston Villa, we have seen videos of the opponent. We need to take advantage of every little thing; it’s important for us to score, and even if away goals do not count as they used to, it’s important to score.
How will you stop Watkins, who has scored 26 goals this season?
He is a great player, but it’s a different game; it’s a European match. We have come with great motivation and desire to win, and we hope to score first.
One of Olympiacos’ historic goals in Europe is yours, the one against Arsenal on English soil; does England mean anything to you?
It’s nice to remember these things, and it’s not easy to leave them behind. It was a nice moment, and if my team needs me and I have to score the qualifying goal, I would like to do it. The important thing is that we are all full of expectations and ready to help our team achieve its goal.
