Here are his comments in detail
On the friendly match: “We were up against a very good team, so the level of play was a notch higher. We had some trouble in the first 20 minutes, but then we gradually got more into the game. It was a preseason game—that’s why we play these matches, to prepare—so for us, it was a very good test.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
A tough match against an opponent that has the same goal as we do. Was it a preview of what we’ll face in the official Champions League qualifying matches?
Yes, I think so. I believe the gap between us is very small. I’m sure they aren’t 100% ready yet either. When you play these games, you aren’t as tactically prepared as you’ll be in the qualifiers. So there are definitely things we’d do differently under different circumstances, but it was a very good test for us and a good practice session.
On the team’s current form: “It’s a normal part of our preparation. We’re playing against strong teams. We’re trying to find our rhythm and get back to our best level of play. We’re working hard and want to improve and find the right style of play that suits us. We did a lot of things well today. We had the right mindset; we fought hard, ran a lot, were competitive, gave it our all, and came close to scoring more goals—both on the counterattack and in open play—but we didn’t convert them. Maybe they could have scored too, but they’re also a quality team. It was an open game, and in these kinds of matches—especially during preseason—teams take a few more risks than they normally would in qualifying matches. That’s probably why it was such an open game.”
