«We will do everything to win»
Răzvan Lucescu spoke to Novasports TV about PAOK’s upcoming clash against AEK Athens in Toumba Stadium. Read on paokfc.gr everything that the Romanian tactician had to say about Sunday’s game, the defeat in Tripolis and all aspects of the “Double-Headed Eagle’s” activity in recent weeks.
On the encounter against Asteras Tripolis:
«I didn’t learn anything new from that game. The situation is normal«.
On his effort to maintain his players’ focused:
«Nobody can answer if it’s hard or easy. Recent trainings went very well. It was good to work on our home ground. That is the place we should focus on. But that isn’t always feasible«.
On whether he is feeling bitter:
«Let’s talk about something else. Much has been said. Some were happy, some sad, others are responsible. Let’s stop this talk and focus on sports issues«.
On concentrating more on physical or psychological preparation of his players:
«You want to talk about past events, but I would rather speak about the upcoming game. It could have been a title-deciding match. But now it’s just our shot to approach the top of the standings. It’s only natural to focus on our players’ morale. Imagine having thieves break into your home, would you be able to sleep comfortably in the following months? That is how we feel. Like everything we won on the pitch was stolen from us. I don’t have anything against you. I am disappointed with some cowards calling themselves ‘sports people’. However, everything that is happening motivates us further«.
On whether he feels disappointed about his work being stolen:
«There is always doubt at first. It has been a difficult season. I wasn’t here from the start. I told you all along that I am self-confident. I came here to work. We improved step by step, started performing better, reached the top. Now we are in second place. We saw that there are two kinds of football people. Those who steal in order to win and those who work honestly on the pitch and aim to achieve their objectives right there«.
On the fans’ rallies:
«We are perfectly aware of our big responsibility towards them. Things have become more complicated now. We can promise that we will do everything in our power to defeat AEK Athens«.
On AEK Athens:
«I don’t want to speak about our rivals«.
On what he expects from his troops:
«I expect to see PAOK of the good days. I want us to play our game and get what we want out of it. All players are available and eagerly awaiting to compete. I haven’t yet decided on the starting eleven, as all plans could change within a day. Everyone should stay focused«.
Whether not speaking about AEK Athens means he considers that the match depends entirely on PAOK’s performance:
«No, I just don’t want to talk about the Athens sides«.
