AEL’s press officer, Nikolas Leventis, made statements to “SPOR FM 95.0.”
He began by discussing the victory over Omonia Aradippou, the fact that the team is alone at the top of the standings, and the work of Hugo Martins.
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He also spoke about tomorrow’s (10/20) meeting between the club presidents and the Disciplinary Committee and the Judicial Committee.
In detail
On the match against Omonia Aradippou: “It’s a very positive result for us; we’re at the top of the standings, we’ve reached 15 points, and we’re satisfied, but it’s still early, and we shouldn’t focus on the standings any more than necessary. We got the win, but there were several moments where we struggled, and we need to address them. It’s very important that we’re able to find the back of the net and take advantage of open spaces. This year’s AEL is creating chances, and that’s a very positive sign. We managed the game well, but after going up 2-0, we came under a lot of pressure from the opponent.”
On Joffrey: “It’s important for young players, especially for Joffrey, who was our latest signing, during a period when it was difficult to find someone to sign; it’s very positive that he scored and is gradually settling into the team—we’re very pleased that he scored.”
On whether anything has changed in the team: “What we’re seeing is a change in mindset during matches; the key to this year’s AEL is that the team never gives up under any circumstances and fights for 90 minutes, with the exception of the match against APOEL at GSP, which, in hindsight, helped us figure out how to handle certain situations. Sometimes, when you take a “hit” like the one against APOEL, it might actually be good for the team.”
On Martins: “The team was built around 19 young players; whatever our coach asked for, he got. The coach is responsible for putting his players on the field; Mr. Martins’ secret is that he has great faith in his players, and whoever deserves it plays. I think it’s extremely important for the team’s fans to be more involved in this equation. After the loss to APOEL, there was a bit of embarrassment, but it’s best to let certain things fade with time.”
On whether AEL can do better: “I believe we can, and we’ll see a better AEL as the season progresses, since some very important players are out—with the exception of Čataković and Gomis— the rest will return and help the team. It’s Kafou who has served this suspension; the team is gradually getting back to full strength as the injured players return, and we still have a long way to go.”
On the match against Aris: “Aris is a team that finished in the top six last year; we need to get the three points to gain the upper hand against this particular team. We’re aware of our opponent’s quality and the challenges the match will present; being in first place sometimes carries the risk of letting up a bit, but the coaching staff won’t let the players do that.”
Regarding the meeting with the referees’ committee: “Tomorrow there will be a meeting between the team presidents, the referees’ committee, and the disciplinary committee. We hope Mr. Damato will provide some answers on how certain decisions are made—based on which articles penalties are referred to and decided upon—and we hope everyone will participate in the discussion; it’s good to talk with the decision-makers so we can get some answers and find solutions.”
