Olympiacos will face Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Tuesday (20/01, 22:00) for Matchday 7 of the League Phase of the UEFA Champions League. The “red-whites” head coach, José Luis Mendilibar, spoke at the pre-match press conference, with Gelson Martins representing the players.
Words by José Luis Mendilibar, in detail.
What do you consider to be the key to a positive result?
To kick-off the match with intensity and make the opponent feel that it is difficult to play in this stadium against us. We want to apply pressure in the opponent’s box and make them realize they will have to work very hard to play well here.
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen coach has beaten Mourinho and Guardiola in previous matches — is that extra motivation for you?
Both teams lost their previous matches — we lost to PAOK and they lost to Hoffenheim — so we are both coming off negative results. They may have achieved two big wins in the UEFA Champions League, but we also performed well in our last European match, and that gives us confidence that we can get a good result. Both teams start from zero; previous matches are irrelevant, and, starting from zero, we will try to earn another win for our team .
Will El Kaabi and Yaremchuk be available? Also, how do you feel about facing an old acquaintance, Badiashile?
I don’t know if they will be available. Roman doesn’t have anything serious, but he didn’t train with the team yesterday; we’ll see in the final training session whether he will be in the squad. Ayoub is traveling today and we don’t know what time he will arrive — it’s a long trip. We hope he arrives in time to be on the bench if needed to help us. He won’t start, though, because he played on Monday. We hope he arrives in time to be available on the bench. There are two players I have worked with in the past: Badiashile from Sevilla is a good player and we had a very good working relationship, and I was also with García at Eibar, about whom I also have only positive things to say.
Olympiacos hasn’t shown the intensity we’re used to in recent matches. Do you think the nature of this match will help the team switch on and bring that intensity back?
In our last match, we clearly lacked intensity, which allowed PAOK to be better and win. It’s very important for us to start strong — intensity is a key characteristic of our game, and we must show it to our opponent. That’s our style; without it, we cannot just sit back and watch the opponent dominate the match. This is our identity and we want to clearly demonstrate it.
What are the key points to limit Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s attack, and how will you bring out your own strengths in both attack and defense?
They are an attacking team and play with four attackers, including two wingers. We must be very careful, as their midfield is also quite aggressive. Defensive concentration is crucial. However, precisely because they are so attacking and their wide players push forward, that could be a weakness in their defense — something we may try to exploit to create problems in those areas.
What is Pirola’s condition? Will there be many changes compared to the match against PAOK?
Pirola is available, and tomorrow you will see whether there are changes.
Gelson Martins: “Our goal is to start strong from the beginning”
In the last two matches at the “G. Karaiskakis,” Olympiacos made a strong start and scored within the first 20 minutes — in one of them you scored. Is this something you’ve discussed ahead of tomorrow’s match?
Of course, we know and have discussed how important it is to start strong and press high. There’s nothing different about this match — our goal is to come out strong from the very start.
You’ve scored in two European matches so far. Do you think a third goal could come? Do you feel 100% ready?
I’m here to help in any way needed. Scoring isn’t the most important thing — what matters is getting the three points. I feel 100% ready and I’m here to help the team achieve its goal, whether I score or not.
Do you feel you owe the fans a win in the UEFA Champions League in this final match at the “G. Karaiskakis”?
We always want to make our fans happy. That is our goal when we play at the “G. Karaiskakis.” It’s extra motivation, and we’ll try to do everything we can to make them happy.
Do these matches suit you better because they are more open than those in the Greek league? Can you also promise a strong performance similar to your previous European games?
What the whole team wants is exactly that — to deliver a big performance. The entire team will try to do so, and that’s something I can promise: everyone will step onto the pitch determined to play a good match. If the team performs well, then every individual player will as well. From my side, if the team is doing well and I’m on the pitch, I’ll do everything I can to help us get the win.
What do you think of Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s current form? Also, did the fans’ support after the PAOK match help you psychologically?
Yes, we’ve watched some of Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s matches. They’re a strong team, like all teams in the UEFA Champions League. No match is easy; all games are difficult. But we’ve shown that we can play well against any opponent. We thank our fans for their support after our elimination; we know they are always by our side, and that always gives us extra motivation to go out and win.
Is there additional pressure on the players due to the importance of the match?
There is pressure because we need the three points, but that isn’t necessarily negative — it can also be positive, because it gives us strength and motivates us to continue in the Champions League. This pressure can give us the motivation we need to win.
