The statements of Olympiacos head coach José Luis Mendilibar and player Francisco Ortega ahead of their Thursday (12/12) match against Twente at 19:45 for the 6th round of the UEFA Europa League Phase.
In detail, what the experienced coach of the “red-and-whites” had to say:
Is this the most important match for the standings, given the current situation?
It seems like everyone has coordinated to ask the same question – whether this is the most important match for qualification. It’s significant because it could give us hope for direct advancement to the next phase. However, we also have two more games ahead to secure our qualification overall. A win would help us a lot, but this isn’t a final. There are other matches to focus on. Still, we’ll approach it seriously, keeping in mind that our next game is always the most important.
Can you update us on the condition of Yaremchuk, García, and Chiquinho? Also, a comment on the Youth Team’s win over Trenčín?
First, congratulations to the Youth Team on their great achievement. Following a draw away, they secured a 4–1 win to progress to the next phase. They’re doing well and they deserve high praise. Regarding Yaremchuk, he had an issue with his mask, but now he can use it and is ready to join the squad. As for Dani and Chiquinho, we’ll decide after our final training session, as they didn’t train with the team until yesterday. As Ortega mentioned, though, it’s not about who’s absent; we have players who can step in and fill those gaps.
So far, Willian has played a maximum of 30 minutes. Will we see him on the pitch longer this time?
You’ll see tomorrow. He’s available and could play the entire match. Whether we decide to have him play the full game will be revealed then.
What do you want to see from your team following the two Europa League draws?
These two matches were quite different. We could have scored against FCSB – we had good chances and played well but lacked decisiveness in our finishing. Against Rangers, we scored first but were quickly equalized. They may have been on the better side, so the result was fair. Now, we’re in a better position than we were for those games. Absences don’t affect us as much anymore because whoever plays steps up admirably. I believe we’ll present a much better image tomorrow compared to our games against Rangers and FCSB.
What have you observed from Twente, especially in their last game against PSV?
Referring to their last game might give the impression they’re an easy opponent, but that’s not the case. It was a match that didn’t go their way. They’re a strong team competing for the top spots in their league – a classic Dutch team that plays with energy and emphasizes possession. They like to build from the back, which works in our favor since we press high. However, they also chase the ball and enjoy maintaining possession, so they’re comfortable with us pressing high. In any case, we shouldn’t dwell on their last game. Their appearance was very different and we shouldn’t base our game on one unfortunate result on their part.
Ortega: “Results Give Us the Confidence to Improve”
How are you feeling after your recent injury?
I feel great and in good shape. I’ve played in several consecutive matches, and I believe my injury has fully healed. As I said, I’m in good condition and ready to contribute to the team.
What has changed for the team, resulting in a series of positive results?
The results themselves help us improve on the pitch. We’ve also rotated the squad recently, and everyone who has played has stepped up and contributed. That’s given us more strength and confidence as we move forward.
What does the team need to do to get the desired result?
The key is to maintain the solid defensive performance we’ve shown in recent matches. That’s the most important thing. After that, we need to continue pressing and executing in attack. With consistent quality and effort, we can keep getting better on the pitch.
What’s your impression of Twente, and how dangerous is their heavy 1–6 loss to PSV?
As you mentioned, it was a tough match for them, but they’re a strong team. If we focus solely on their last game, it could mislead us. Twente is a team that prioritizes ball possession and enjoys being in the offense. That result shouldn’t deceive us; tomorrow’s game will be entirely different.
