APOEL’s press officer, Nektarios Petevinos, gave an interview to “Super Sport 104.0,” in which he discussed everything related to the Nicosia-based team.
First, he addressed the new league season and the season opener against AEK. Then, in response to a question about team reinforcements, he emphasized that the real victory this season will not be on the field but financial.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As for team news, in addition to the first matchday, the injured players Pieros, Kattirtzis, Mancini, and Zelenika—who has not yet been registered due to the transfer ban—will be sidelined.
As for Korbou, he revealed that over the next three years, the team will receive financial benefits depending on Ferencváros’s performance, and APOEL retains a 10% share of any future transfer fees.
Here are his comments in detail
On the league: “The league will be very, very difficult this year. We see many teams aiming either for the championship or for European qualification, and other teams aiming to comfortably stay in the division, and they’re all competitive. It’s rare to see a team that isn’t competitive in the league.”
On the season opener against AEK: “We’re a new team, with a new coach and a new philosophy, and we showed some good things in the friendlies, as well as areas that need improvement. AEK is a traditional team with its strengths and weaknesses; they were eliminated early from European competitions. It will be a very difficult game.”
On reinforcements: “As the president said in a recent interview, we have the financial issue to deal with, and I’ve always brought up the possibility of players leaving in our discussions. It’s easy to say that the league is starting and we want new players. Our transfer window is always open, and after August—since our transfer window closes later—there are opportunities. Almost all the signings we made were low-risk players who were familiar with the Cypriot league either through personal experience or information from their teammates. People need to understand that APOEL’s real victory this year isn’t on the field. In previous years, when the season started, we talked only about that and put everything else aside. This year, the victory isn’t the championship—it’s something much bigger,”
On the team’s situation: “Pieros, Kattirtzis, and Mancini are out with long-term injuries. Zelenika hasn’t been registered yet due to the transfer ban.”
On Korbou: “He’s a case we should look to as an example. Over the next three years, based on Ferencváros’s performance in Europe, there will be a financial benefit, and we retain a 10% share in the event of a resale.”
On the team’s goals: “We recognize the reality of the situation right now and want to make two signings to make the team more competitive. So far, there seems to be something positive at APOEL, something beautiful. And in the friendlies, the criticism we’re receiving about the substitutions is unfair, because there won’t be that many substitutions in official matches.”
