Speaking after the final whistle, the Olympiacos boss said he was proud of both his players and the team’s overall campaign in the UEFA Champions League.
Below is what the Basque coach had to say:
“Our opponents started better, moving the ball well and enjoying more possession. But as the game went on, we found our rhythm, strung passes together and controlled the ball more — I think we were the better side in the latter part of the first half. The same happened after the break: we had the upper hand, but lacked the finishing touch to really trouble them. Overall, we played quite well, yet our European journey ends here.”
Olympiacos delivered strong performances across all ten Champions League matches. What feeling does this campaign leave you with? And a word on the fans, who backed the team and are now calling for the league title?
The feeling is a sweet one — we’re proud because we had a very good run. Finishing 18th in the League Phase is respectable. Our early matches didn’t go as planned, but then we put together three consecutive wins with convincing displays. We faced difficulties in these ties, especially after a poor first leg, yet tonight we performed well and just missed the goal despite coming close several times. We’re satisfied with our journey. As for the fans, all we can say is a big thank you. They were always by our side, travelling everywhere to support us. Their presence gives us strength and we truly appreciate it.
How difficult is it to beat a team like Bayer 04 Leverkusen twice in a month given their resources? And does Olympiacos belong at this Champions League level?
Whoever the draw had given us would have been a strong opponent — had we been drawn to face Atalanta, nobody could predict the outcome. There are no easy matches in this competition.
Leverkusen, despite us beating them in the League Phase, showed over these two games that they were better, scoring twice within a couple of minutes at our stadium. They were a tough rival. Olympiacos have proven they belong in the Champions League. We won half of our matches against teams from different levels and I believe we held our own.
What stands out from this campaign as the club continues to grow? And what did the fans’ applause at the end mean to you?
There were many positive moments — it’s hard to single out just one. The win in Amsterdam against AFC Ajax was very important, and we also competed well in Barcelona until Hezze’s red card. Those were highlights of our run. The fans stood with us throughout and I think they were pleased overall — the applause at the end reflected that.”
Does this European run provide extra motivation to win the league and return to the Champions League next season?
Winning the championship is indeed a huge motivation in itself. We want to add another star to the badge and aim to be champions every year. Of course, the prospect of direct qualification to the League Phase is also an incentive and something that can help us going forward.
