AEL coach Hugo Martins, in his remarks following the victory over Omonia on May 29 at the “Alfamega” stadium. Although his team struggled with the ball, he believes they deserved to win based on the chances they created, said Fanzio Buijs, on the other hand.
The statements:
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The starting lineups for Olympiacos vs. Aris
Hugo Martins: “It was a big challenge after three weeks without matches because it was a first for us. We had to adjust our training sessions, and we also had some international players. I believe we prepared the team very well for the match. We knew the problems we’d face against this opponent. It’s very difficult to play against a five-man defensive line. In the first half, we had trouble creating chances because the opponent was very compact. In the second half, with the substitutions we made, we created more chances. We played a good game; the team’s response was good. In the first half, we didn’t apply enough pressure, but we did better in the second. It was a team effort, and let’s not forget that Kapino made a crucial save when the score was 0-0. We never give up—against Salamina we scored in the final seconds, and now in the last ten minutes. Congratulations to the players; they never give up. They struggled a bit, just like the fans, but in the end we won and we’re holding onto first place, which was the goal. We played exactly as we’d practiced.”
On the fans who supported the team without… a single complaint: “They supported us wholeheartedly from the very first minute. Now they believe even more that we can achieve something. We’ll fight for them. In the next game, we’ll be playing without fans due to the suspension, but I know they’ll be… with us in their own way. We want to give them hope that we can achieve something.”
Fanzio Buijs: “We were very poor with the ball, but we didn’t concede many chances against us. We kept it 0-0 at halftime. In the second half, we showed a different kind of character; based on what we showed, I think we deserved to win, given the chances we missed. I want to thank the fans for their support.
We need to be more careful and responsible; the truth is, we’re giving away points.”
