Olympiacos coach José Luis Mendilibar spoke at the press conference after his team’s 2–0 victory against AEK at the “G. Karaiskakis” Stadium.
Below are the detailed comments of the experienced coach of the Legend:
After a tough match in Barcelona with injuries and absences, you win your first derby of the season. What’s your comment on that, and was Taremi’s inclusion in the starting lineup the key factor?
I don’t see derbies as different from any other match – they’re all games we want to win. The championship is won not by taking derbies alone, but by not dropping points in all the other matches. Taremi helped because he won the penalty and scored a goal – he was decisive and important. He can offer even more, though, because I believe he’s not yet in his best physical condition, as he didn’t have a full preseason. He’s not ready to play 90 minutes yet, but I’m sure he’ll be able to give us a lot more in the future.
Would you say that having a derby right after a difficult European game is a kind of blessing, since the coach doesn’t have to say much?
Yes, that’s true. The players find it easier to stay focused for this kind of game, and there’s no need to say too much. Of course, it’s a match you could lose, but we’re satisfied because the players played a very good first half, and this win gives us confidence for what’s next.
Can we expect to see this formation again, with Taremi and El Kaabi together?
The season is still at the beginning, and we have many matches ahead, so yes, we might see it again because they complement each other well. But we’ll take things one match at a time.
For a coach, the sweetest dream before a derby must be a 4-4-2 with both strikers scoring. Also, a comment on Costinha’s performance.
The plan wasn’t actually to play in a 4-4-2 – it was a 4-2-3-1. It may have looked like a 4-4-2 because Taremi played a bit deeper. As for Costinha, he had a very good game. He’s always there to help the team, and we know we can count on him to give his best every time.
We’ve noticed that you focus not only on the positives but also on the negatives. We saw your players make a few risky decisions near Tzolakis’ area in the first half – it didn’t cost you today, but does that concern you?
I’m the kind of coach who prefers the opposite – I don’t like taking risks in defense. We did that today, and we made mistakes. When the opponent’s forwards are capable, they can punish you. We don’t want to see those errors or take unnecessary risks. I don’t like playing around with the ball near our box; I want us to play in the opponent’s area.
Two days before the derby, the team visited the Museum. Did that help lift the players’ spirits after the tough night in Barcelona?
In the short time I’ve been at Olympiacos, I’ve already realized that this club is stubborn – not the kind of team that lets a defeat, even one like the one in Barcelona, bring it down. Olympiacos knows how to get back up and move forward strong. The visit to the Museum was beautiful; it reminded us of special moments we’ve lived through. I saw the Conference League memories for the first time, as I hadn’t revisited them since then. But Olympiacos is a determined club – they never dwell on one night and will always remain strong.
