PedroMartins:
How was it in the 3 days of preparation following the side’s defeat to OFI in Crete:“These three days of preparation were different, since, as you said, we suffered a negative result. We spent most of the time at the training center to work on our state of mind during our prep. We want to recover as soon as possible, to show we are determined and change this gloomy picture. We wanted to prepare as well as possible, to rethink of the club we represent, to understand that we weren’t ourselves; to sit down and think why we weren’t ourselves. We want to be absolutely ready because we are facing a tough opponent, well organized that works really hard; when I say ready, I mean in the sense of mentality. We wanted to rethink what were the reasons and prepare to the best of our abilities, in order to change this image”.
Is tomorrow’s encounter an opportunity to recover in terms of performance and psychology:“We have no negative thoughts when it comes to any match; we always think to win. We never get stuck to a match that belongs to the past. We always have our eyes set to the future and in this case we aim at getting the result we want”.
Are you satisfied with the players’ response in his chats with them:“The last match left us with a bitter taste, because we weren’t ourselves and we didn’t do what we were capable of. I am sure we have done a great work since the start of this season. Our side has some great footballers, committed and hard-working; and they have earned good results since the season started. Since day 1, they committed to win titles for Olympiacos. I am very proud of the team, it’s the best one I have ever had. Indeed, it was a poor time that we had since Sunday, but I am certain we will exit this situation. We spent many hours at the training center. We are dedicated to our work and we are certain to return to positive results”
On the team’s balance:I am looking for no excuses. We are a new team, with new players in the roster. We have been working hard, with dedication and focus. Throughout the season, we have proven that we can play well. It is hard for players, following fixtures with their National Team, to perform the way they did before. It is difficult to regain this balance after the internationals return. We have our share of injuries as well, a light injury of Torosidis and the one Hasan picked up with his National Team. This means we work a lot and we stay focused on the job at hand. Despite our poor performance in the first half against OFI, during the match our side displayed a spirit of self-sacrifice and gave it all. We didn’t get a good result, but we can recover despite the hard time we went through”.
Is Dudelange the easiest team in the group:“In no case will we say that; Milan and Betis are, in theory, the strongest outfits, but Dudelange deserves respect by everyone and they have shown they have a good team. We have been in this job for years and we understand that no opponent is to be underestimated. No matter what team we play against, we want to control the match be means of our performance. Although, we have all acknowledged, at the beginning, that Milan and Betis are the most well-known teams, in no way should we belittle Dudelange”.
Pape Abou Cisse:
His expectations on tomorrow’s match:“Thank you for your kind words. I had some good performances, but all this was thanks to Olympiacos. My coach and teammates helped me a lot and I owe that to Olympiacos. As per tomorrow’s match, we know it is an important match and we are more than ready to get the win”.
Are your determined to change your display on the pitch:“I know very well the state we are in. Our stay in Rentis gave us the opportunity to bond even more, to discuss and think of what had happened. It was a bad moment, we have to get over it and return to positive results. We always aim at getting the points. We have to show we understood what happened with Olympiacos and change this situation”.
