Donis: “This is an opportunity for our fans to support us at the stadium”
The two respective head coaches, Giorgos Donis and Abel Ferreira, shared their expectations for the Super League derby between Panathinaikos and PAOK.
Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!
On paper, PAOK are large favourites to earn the three points at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, but a resurgent Panathinaikos side musn’t be underestimated. In wonderful form, fourth-placed Panathinaikos have tallied four successive wins in the Super League, not conceded a single goal in any of those matches. PAOK, for their part, have also won their past four leagues games, in turn overtaking Olympiacos in first position of the standings.
Panathinaikos boss, Giorgos Donis, feels that this is a great opportunity for his team:
Upcoming three games against PAOK: “It is an opportunity for us to prove our worth against a good team.”
Presence of the Panathinaikos fans on Sunday: “Throughout Panathinaikos’ history, we have always struggled to attract a lot of supporters at our matches at the OAKA. I told them to buy tickets and support the team! It is very important for us to have them by our side.”
Panathinaikos’ improvement in recent weeks: “If anyone analyses my career, they will see that I have always strived for improvement, especially in January. We want stability. At the moment, we have started playing in a more stable manner, making several improvements. We are a team with a plan, we like to build the game and get close to the opponents’ penalty area. Of course, I wish that this had happened earlier, but football is unpredictable.”
Series of difficult upcoming games: “We need strength and confidence. We treat each match individually, even if the opponents are the same. This game against PAOK is important for the championship. We have to be competitive on the pitch, and this is an opportunity for lots of our fans to come and support us at the arena.”
Integration of Yassin Ayoub: “He needs more time. After 10 days, we will be able to speak more about him. We’re following a specific program.”
Head coach of PAOK, Abel Ferreira, is only concentrating on footballing matters:
Distraction of legal matters: “We must only concentrate on what happens on the pitch. Everything else will be taken care of by the administration, our job is simply playing well in the football matches themselves.”
Thoughts on Panathinaikos: “In comparison to previous games, we need to improve the level of our performance. We have a really difficult schedule ahead of us, so we have to continue becoming a better team. Nevertheless, I know what we have to do in order to defeat Panathinaikos on Sunday, we must stick to the targets which we set at the start of the season.”
Tactical approach: “Of course, the small details will play a big role. We will strive to continue playing with our same philosophy and identity. We want to keep the ball, play with the initiative and manage the game well. When Panathinaikos have possession, we must be careful in defence. We believe that our plan will lead us to victory.”
