On PAOK’s last two games:

«It’s obvious that fatigue is kicking in now. We have been playing every three days since early January. Our performance in the last two matches leaves much to be desired. The players are tired, haven’t a clear head and lack creativity. We are concerned about it and we need to find a solution«.

On whether he would have changed something, if he could turn back time:

«We are analyzing all our performances thoroughly, but can’t really know what would have happened if different players were on the pitch. That is impossible to know. Our aim is to field the best for every match. We are monitoring our troops and we know if our players are in fine physical and psychological condition, we know if they are able to give it 100%. We are monitoring everything and we are looking for the best options, match by match«.

On dealing with the players’ psychological fatigue:

«We make a constant effort to be near them, talk to them. We give them all necessary information and prep them for every game. In many cases, we try to ease the pressure they feel, especially when playing at home. We try to explain to them that fans expect to see the team as they performed in the last three months. The players have created such expectation with their own performances. After lining up many good displays, it’s only normal that expectations should rise. In order to keep the same high level of performances, we need calmness, hard work and high morale«.

On his source of optimism ahead of the rest of the season:

«Seeing my players work hard on a daily basis, give it 100% and acknowledge their errors in previous encounters. In our talks, they see where the problems lie and we all try to solve them together and move on«.

On the condition of injured players:

«We will try to have them ready as soon as possible. If they are ready in time, they will play against Olympiacos. If not, we will find the best possible options«.

On Olympiacos:

«We have been watching our upcoming rivals, but I mostly focus on my team. If we perform according to our potential, we fear no opponents, especially in Greece. We respect Olympiacos and we know they have high-quality players. They haven’t played so well in recent games, but they have quality and can solve their problems, just like we can. We are focused and preparing for the game. We will give it 100% for victory«.

On whether this upcoming match is special:

«It’s a game, a clash that players and fans are looking forward to. They live for such games. Being calm is of the essence«.

On whether PAOK’s greatest rival are themselves:

«I can’t say that we are making it hard on ourselves. We have played in three league clashes so far and we were good in two of them. Regardless of the results, we proved we are able of playing quality football against strong opposition. There is no reason to believe that we can’t be successful on Sunday«.