The Basque coach of Olympiacos José Luis Mendilibar expressed his utter satisfaction from the side’s win over Qarabag and qualification to the Europa League’s Round of 16.
Below follow quotes from the Basque coach of the “Red-and-whites”:
Are you as pleased with the 3-0 victory as you are with having 35 days without European matches due to the direct qualification to the Round of 16?
We’ve played so many consecutive matches, and it’s been going well, so I’m not sure if stopping now is a good thing. I don’t know what to say. We still have other competitions to focus on, and there are plenty of games ahead of us.
The match turned into a celebration just a day after the anniversary of Olympiacos’ UEFA Europa Conference League triumph. If you had a birthday cake to blow out candles, what would your wish be?
To continue just as we are.
Your team has been playing every three days for months without losing, yet it always brings energy to the pitch. What is the secret behind this?
It’s all about the team and the players. We have good footballers, and we rotate the squad constantly. This helps both those who play a lot and those who play less because they still feel valuable. So, we maintain this balance. A team is never just about 15 players—we have a large squad, and we manage it well.”
You’ve been informed about your potential opponents. Do you have any preferences?
Whoever comes, let them come.
Olympiacos finished the League Phase of the Europa League with the best defense in the competition and the top scorer, El Kaabi. How do you feel about these achievements, especially knowing UEFA’s social media will be filled with Olympiacos highlights tomorrow?
“As you know, I don’t follow social media, but I’ve been told they will be ‘red-and-white’ tomorrow, and that makes me happy. We are not a defensive team, but we defend well. We are a team that keeps pushing to get what we want and constantly improves. We work hard to get better, and we are pleased with the result.”
How far is Bilbao from your home?
Very close—my home is just 32 kilometers from the center of Bilbao.
The entire Karaiskakis Stadium was chanting your name. Have you taken in the message?
I’ll never get used to it—it makes me blush and feel a bit awkward. But I truly appreciate the love from the fans. However, it’s the players who fight and give everything on the pitch for the team. We thank the fans for the love they show to the entire team.
