Ouzounidis, Herrera demand positive reactions
Both Marinos Ouzounidis and Paco Herrera are eager to see the right reaction from their respective teams when AEK host Aris at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
Last week, AEK defeated Apollon Smyrnis 2:0 in Rizoupoli, however the Enosis then lost 0:2 to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. To their credit, the reigning Greek champions held their own against the German giants, but two errors resulted in a third successive European loss. For their part, Aris fell 1:2 to arch-rivals PAOK on matchday seven of the Super League, meaning they’re hungry to prove their worth in Athens and get back on track.
In his pre-match briefing, AEK manager Marinos Ouzounidis spoke about the Champions League game and expects a tough duel with Aris:
Feelings after losing to Bayern Munich: “No matter how big the opponent is, you’re always disappointed after a defeat. It was a UEFA Champions League match with a fantastic atmosphere. It’s a real shame that we won’t have the support of our fans against Aris.”
Effect of playing inside an empty OAKA: “Yes, this will have an effect on the match. Games without fans don’t have the same intensity. We have no choice but to accept the decision.”
Positives from the Champions League match against Bayern: “Overall, all of the players tried their hardest, and the majority of our errors were forced by the opponents. However, we conceded two cheap goals, at this level those mistakes are always punished. In the future, we have to improve certain aspects of our game.”
Expectations for playing Aris: “Aris have a strong, competitive team which likes to protect possession of the ball. I expect it to be a tough match against an opponent which has high quality players and an experienced coach. After a negative result in Europe, we need to get back to winning ways.”
Reaction to the defeat on Tuesday: “Everyone was very disappointed after losing to Bayern. For Sunday, we need to refresh the team, so I hope the players on the pitch can perform well. I want them to show their capabilities.”
Aris boss Paco Herrera demands a positive reaction after losing to PAOK, pointing out the quality which AEK possess:
Possible tiredness on AEK’s side after the Champions League: “That won’t come into play. AEK have a large squad with plenty of quality and they won’t encounter any difficulties in playing two games in one week.”
Required reaction following the loss to PAOK: “All big teams must react in the right way after losing. During the week, I feel that we did everything possible to show the right reaction on Sunday.”
Difficulty of playing AEK: “The level of difficulty of playing AEK is the same as when facing PAOK. The same can be said for our upcoming match against Olympiacos. At the end of these three derbies, we will see if we’re ready to make a challenge this season.”
Message for the Aris supporters: “I want to say a huge thank you to our fans for their support in the match against PAOK. It’s always a lot tougher for us when playing without them in the stands. We will do everything in order to make them proud.”
