Martins: “The absence of our fans did affect the game” 

Olympiacos boss Pedro Martins was happy to secure three important points against Panathinaikos, while Giorgos Donis noted the lack of effectiveness. 

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Inside an empty Karaiskakis Stadium, Olympiacos failed to show their best football in the Derby of the Eternal Enemies, as Panathinaikos matched them for long periods. Nevertheless, Youssef El Arabi hit the target late in the second half, securing a 1-0 victory which takes Olympiacos to the top of the Super League table.

“The absence of our fans did affect the game, but we have made them happy with this victory,” beamed Martins. “In the first 20 minutes, we played well, but then Panathinaikos did show their quality. I thought that we had more control of the game in the second half. We all want to be in first position, and we understand the importance of beating Panathinaikos.”

“Possible transfers? We’re waiting for Guilherme and Felipe Bruno to return,” continued the Olympiacos manager. “We introduced Yassine Benzia because we needed to change the flow of the game. Of course, we are happy with this win, but we’re already thinking about the upcoming match with Kalamata. The young players deserve a chance.”

“It was an interesting game from start to finish,” mentioned Panathinaikos hear coach Giorgos Donis. “We played great in the first half against a strong opponent, keeping them at bay. However, in a game like this, you have to score to put the pressure on the opposing team. We lacked efficiency.”

“Olympiacos scored after they began to increase the intensity, we failed to take advantage of a lot of chances,” said Donis when asked about the flow of the game. “Had the Olympiacos fans been inside the arena, the pressure would have been even more incessant. We must be more effective in these games.”

Olympiacos goalscorer, Youssef El Arabi, noted the importance of the victory: “It was imperative that we won today, it’s never easy playing inside an empty stadium. It must be said that we didn’t play at our best. My goal? I am just really happy to help my team. I want to be the top scorer of the league.”

“We really wanted to win, but this wasn’t our best performance,” revealed Olympiacos attacking midfielder Mathieu Valbuena. “Panathinaikos made life tough for us, we didn’t have our fans inside the stadium, but we do have the three points. It’s important to be at the top of the standings again. I want to help the team be successful.”

Panathinaikos attacker Anastasios Chatzgiovanis felt that the visitors should have been given a penalty: “I don’t want to speak about the referee, but it was a penalty. We only ask the referees to respect Panathinaikos. Unfortunately, in the second half, we didn’t match our performance level from the first. All of us have to work hard in order to be more effective.

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sportfm.gr

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