Olympiacos defeated Panathinaikos 4-2 at “G. Karaiskakis” Stadium, and the team’s coach, José Luis Mendilibar, focused on his players’ performance, emphasizing that there is still a long way to go in the league.
Below are the detailed statements of the experienced coach of the “Red-and-whites”:
Olympiacos has not only remained unbeaten in derbies since the start of the season but has also outperformed their opponents in these matches.
Thank you for saying that. We are a team that always tries to play the same way, whether we are at home or away, whether we face Panathinaikos or Lamia. We always aim to press high in the opponent’s area and play aggressively. Perhaps this consistency is what allows us to maintain a stable and high level of performance.
Panathinaikos’ coach mentioned that Olympiacos’ game was typical of your team’s playing style. I would say that opponents cannot fully grasp it. Can you share your thoughts on this? Also, could you comment on Yaremchuk and his recent performances?
It’s more or less what I mentioned before—we play the same way against every team, no matter the venue. We don’t care if the opponent plays with two or three defenders or more; our goal is always to be equally strong and aggressive against them. That is our philosophy, and that is what I have to say. As for Yaremchuk, he is a player who has been working tirelessly since the beginning of the season without complaining, demanding anything, or raising his voice to ask for more than what he was given. A striker’s contribution isn’t just about scoring goals. Yaremchuk does much more on the pitch, as we saw with his first goal. Some may say it was a goalkeeper’s mistake, but unless striker presses and fights for the ball, such a goal shall not b scored. We ask him to be aggressive and to chase the ball without possession, and he has shown that he can do it.
You seem to be vindicated for your faith in Yaremchuk, as you insisted on him even though he was close to leaving in January.
We must respect everyone. What I don’t want to do is treat a person as if they are insignificant. In this case, just because a striker might go through a dry period or things might not go his way, you cannot simply turn your back on him, leave him alone, and push him out—especially when he is a great guy. Even if things aren’t working out for him, a good character in the team always contributes positively to the team.
How easy is it for a coach to tell a team that is 10 points ahead and feels dominant that nothing is over yet?
We don’t talk about the championship at all. We only discuss today’s match. We also talk about our mistakes, not just what we did well. There is still a long way to go; today was not a title-winning day. Today, we faced and defeated Panathinaikos.
Olympiacos has not lost to any title contender and has never been the weaker side in these matchups. Does this allow you to think about winning the championship?
What happened today simply helps us and convinces us to perform just as well in the upcoming matches. No one can guarantee that we won’t lose a future game. We will try to play the same way against PAOK in Thessaloniki and aim for the win. Our performance against Panathinaikos motivates us to keep going.
