Donis: “Livaja is a player who can decide matches”

Ahead of the Super League derby between Panathinaikos and AEK at the Olympic Stadium, both Giorgos Donis and Nikos Kostenoglou spoke to the media.

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV! 

Panathinaikos always seem to turn up for the major derbies. Although they are down in 10th place, the Prasini have already held Olympiacos and PAOK to draws this season, and their solid performance in Thessaloniki will have given them belief that they can beat an inconsistent AEK team. AEK are currently in third position after they edged past Atromitos 3-2 on matchday nine.

Panathinaikos manager Giorgos Donis, who will not be allowed to stand on the touchline or enter the dressing room due to a ban, shared his expectations for the Athenian derby:

Whether the game against PAOK was Panathinaikos’ best so far: “Every game is a different story. Taking into account that we were playing against the reigning champions at a tough stadium, we had a great first half. We managed to keep the ball, while taking the risk of pressing PAOK high. That was the positive aspect. However, we must become stronger as a team, being able to withstand lots of pressure. We could have made the match a lot easier given the risks which PAOK took. We do have a psychologist within the team.”

His behaviour in Thessaloniki: “I touched the fourth official instead of pushing him. It’s true that we had an argument with him, but all of us on the bench must control the nerves. My words at the press-conference? I love working with this team and I want us to succeed. It must be noted that there is little motivation for us this year; we can’t play in Europe even if we qualify. Last year, we had more motivation. This factor is causing us a lot of problems. Of course, this is my responsibility as well, because we always have a lot more focus and concentration for matches against Olympiacos, PAOK and AEK. I think that there is an improvement.”

Amount of stoppage time against PAOK: “There should never have been five minutes added on. I watched the whole game, and the maximum amount of stoppage time should have been three or four minutes at the most.”

Thoughts on AEK: “A lot has happened at AEK, notably their early coaching change. AEK have a high-quality squad. I want to make a special mention about Marko Livaja, because he is a player who can make the difference in every game. We want to control the ball on the ground and play good football. I think it will be a great match.”

AEK boss Nikos Kostenoglou also shared his expectations for the match when speaking to Nova Sports:

Injury issues: “Helder Lopes has been out for quite a few days, so we don’t know whether he will be ready to play against Panathinaikos. Marios Oikonomou was injured before the match with Atromitos, but he had enough mental strength to compete. We are not sure if we will be able to play this Sunday. Konstantinos Galanopoulos will certainly miss the game.”

Factor of AEK having to come behind from losing positions: “We are working on our defensive play. In the matches so far, we have conceded easy goals which could have been avoided. Our mistakes are disrupting our performances and they affect the flow of the game.”

Difficult match against Atromitos: “We did struggle to create a lot of chances. However, we made a strong start to the second half as we began to find opportunities. We managed to turn the game around. The second goal was unexpected, but it could have been avoided. Still, despite that setback, the team showed courage and won the match in the last minute of added time.”

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: to10.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!