After yesterday’s light afternoon session in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, the Panathinaikos players… stepped up the pace this morning during a demanding training session marked by increased intensity and shouts from Jakob Nistrup and his assistants.

The session was divided into two parts, featuring drills focused on small-sided games, build-up play, pressing, numerical advantages with finishing, and a scrimmage at the end.

The Danish coach is very demanding, and he makes that clear right from the start. Initially, in his first speech to the players—delivered in a calm tone—he emphasized: “We need to train now and in the coming weeks; we have to give it our all. Now is the time for us to get better. It may seem difficult to you in the first few weeks, but you’ll see that in five or six weeks, we’ll be really good.”

In his second speech, when he didn’t see the goals he wanted during the numerical advantage and finishing drills, Nistrup raised his voice: “I wanted 25 goals in the finishing drill we did. It’s a shot from two meters that doesn’t go in, or a move that isn’t executed correctly, or a rebound. I want goals. It’s not luck—I don’t believe in luck. You can’t just sit there thinking you won’t make a move. Who’s going to go for the rebound to score? Who? We need that. Getting the rebound isn’t luck. You have to keep that in mind. I want more goals.”

*photo source: pao.gr