AEK’s press officer, Kyriakos Dimitriou, made statements to “SPOR FM 95.0.”
He spoke about the resumption of the league following the hiatus, analyzed the competitive landscape, and confirmed that foreign referees will be assigned to VAR duties, following an update from the Cyprus Football Association (CFA).
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Here is what he said in detail
On the basketball team: “We saw (yesterday) the basketball team achieve a great victory. It’s not easy to beat a team from Germany, from the highest level. They deserve a lot of praise. It was their first game in the FIBA Europe Cup; they beat Würzburg, got off to a good start, and there’s more to come. The atmosphere was pretty lively yesterday; I also saw Andreas Lefkaritis’s post thanking the fans.”
On the resumption of play: “Let’s not forget that we played on Friday (ed. note: before the break) and now we’re playing on Monday. It was an even longer break. The coaching staff initially granted a few days off, and we took advantage of the time that followed to play two friendly matches—against Nea Salamina and Apollon. After the Apollon match, the coach explained that he wanted to give playing time to players who needed it—to keep the players in game shape and to try out a few things. As for whether this was beneficial or not—considering the team was in first place—there are two sides to the story. We have to adapt, though—not just us, but everyone across Europe. I’ll also ask the coach how he viewed this break in the statements he’ll make about Monday’s game.”
On how they view the break: “In this case, the coach is the one in charge. It’s a double-edged sword—when you’re winning, you don’t want to break the rhythm, but it was important for us—especially since the coach took over—for him to get to know each player’s needs, and for the players to get to know him. It was helpful from that perspective.”
On the lineup: “We’re missing Tsakon and Olivan. Amin remains on the sidelines. He hasn’t been able to pick up the pace. We’ll see week by week if he’ll be able to pick up the pace next week. The problem he’s facing is well known. There’s also a risk of a relapse. Tsakon underwent minor surgery to remove the screw from his foot. He is recovering and will not be available to the coach for the match against Omonia Aradippou. Following the friendly against Apollon, Oliván developed a muscle issue, and he, too, will not be available to the coach.”
On the match against Omonia Aradippou: “We’ve all missed the action. It’s good to be preparing and actually having a game. We didn’t really like this break; we’re eagerly awaiting the game. We’re playing at home against a team you simply can’t take lightly. They’ve been competitive and undefeated in their last four games. That said, we take this seriously; we believe in the team and our capabilities, and we want to continue our winning streak—our goal is non-negotiable.”
On Andreggen: “He was the unluckiest one when we got down to business. His first start in the starting lineup against Omonia on May 29, followed by the friendlies, allowed him to improve his readiness. It’s important for anyone, especially for those playing at the top level, to score goals because it boosts their confidence.”
On Muftić: “He hasn’t been registered yet, but he’s training normally with the rest of his teammates. He’s not eligible to play because the roster has been finalized.”
On refereeing and the use of foreign officials for VAR: “This is the information that was shared with all teams. It was a common desire among everyone. Efforts would be made immediately to bring in foreign referees for the VAR. And to avoid bias, it’s better to have foreign VAR officials so that it works to everyone’s benefit.”
Regarding AEK C.A.R.E.S.: “We contributed nearly 100,000 in various ways. Most recently, it was through PASYKAF, with Sakis Rouvas’s concert at the Patticheio. It’s something that has a huge impact—giving back to society by helping fellow human beings where it’s needed.”
