Olympiacos collected all three points with a 3–2 win over Levadiakos at the “G. Karaiskakis,” with head coach José Luis Mendilibar highlighting the team’s reaction after the visitors managed to equalize twice.
In detail, what the Spanish coach had to say:
Undefeated in all competitions so far, and now Arsenal and PAOK are coming up. What do you expect moving forward?
I think wins and losses come down to many small details during games. That’s why you have to prepare properly in every detail to give yourself the best chance. At some point, defeat will come. We prepare for each match, each opponent, and each competition individually. The goal is to always be prepared – and next up is Arsenal.
Was Olympiacos not that good today, or was Levadiakos very good?
Levadiakos were good – they’re a strong team. They equalized twice and pushed us until the end. It’s not easy for a team to come here and play like that. I’d say they’ve been the toughest opponent we’ve faced so far this season.
Was Levadiakos a good test ahead of Arsenal?
It was a good test for today. As for Arsenal, we still have days to prepare. But yes, Levadiakos are a good side, and if they keep playing like this, they’ll be high up in the table by the end of the season.
Up until recently your team hadn’t conceded, and now you’ve let in goals in three straight matches. What’s your view on that, and on your team’s reaction?
I know that every time we concede, people look for who’s to blame. The same happens when we score – the opponent looks for who made the mistake. But football is about both mistakes and successes. You can’t play 90 minutes without making an error; mistakes happen. What matters is the reaction, and I liked that we always had an answer whenever we conceded. As long as we have that ability to respond, we’ll keep moving forward.
What’s the one positive and one negative you take away from this game?
The positive was the reaction. The negative was the ease with which we allowed the opponent to play their game and create chances.
