The coach of Olympiacos’ Youth Team, Sotiris Silaidopoulos, shared his thoughts following the historic encounter with CR Flamengo at Maracanã:
“It was a unique experience, and we wanted to turn it into a historic moment. In those final minutes, those last few seconds, we could have managed things a bit better, but to me, that’s all part of learning, part of managing a game. These young players, at this age, playing in such a stadium, at Maracanã, with such energy, in front of a crowd of 35,000 people -having this level of energy, this performance, this confidence- I believe we have nothing but gains from this experience.
I believe we proved why we deserved to be European champions. We are very proud of what we have achieved. Of course, we wanted to leave with the trophy, and while we didn’t manage that, it doesn’t take away anything from how we feel about these players and this team. For me, beyond all the titles and championships we’ve won -and let’s not forget, this team has won two Greek championships and the title of European champion- the legacy these kids leave for the first team is the greatest achievements.
Those who were part of it can understand what I’m saying. The stadium and its energy are incredible. It’s a stadium where, let’s not forget, unbelievable things have happened. Great teams have struggled to stand tall in this way. I believe Olympiacos and our U19 team represented Greek and European football with honor. We truly wanted to win the trophy because, for me and for some of the players, it might have been our last performance in the youth categories. But that’s football. Sometimes you win, sometimes things get taken from you. It’s part of the game, and I feel grateful for everything I’ve experienced, even this.”
