The team’s press officer, Nikolas Leventis, spoke to “SPOR FM 95.0” about everything related to AEL.
First, he addressed the serious injuries sustained by Gomis and Čataković, who will miss the rest of the season. He also confirmed that a new player will be signed to fill the void at the top of the attack.
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Finally, he explained the reasons why the Limassol-based team filed a complaint regarding Konstantinos Fella’s refereeing in the match against Anorthosis.
On the injuries and the match against Anorthosis: “Yes, it was the first time that I, too, personally felt that we lost despite our victory, and the reason was the serious injuries to Gomis and Čataković, who will be out for months. It’s a huge blow, as they are very important players. Injuries are part of soccer, but losing them from the very first matchday for so many months is sad. We need to find their replacements, and the team intends to do just that. As for the match, we’re taking the 3 points, and we need to keep our heads up and head into the derby against APOEL aiming for the win.”
On transfers and the team’s performance: “AEL has been assembled completely differently this year compared to previous years. You can see the difference on the field—there are players who are raising the level of play. Obviously, there’s room for improvement, but the initial impression is encouraging. I want to emphasize that we’ll be making an additional move in the attack. Furthermore, we’re very happy to have Jovetić, who will now shoulder a significant burden in the attack.”
On this season’s goal: “Our goal is to finish in the top six, and if we stay focused, we’ll make it.”
On whether there will be a transfer in addition to the one mentioned above for the attack: “We’ll try to go above and beyond for the striker position. For now, the decision is to pursue one player. If we can manage it financially, we might even make a second signing. A few names have been mentioned; Mr. Martins will make the final selection, so the final decision will be made sometime this week.”
Regarding the complaint about the refereeing in the season opener: “We sent a letter yesterday to the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and the Referees’ Committee. As soon as Mr. Fellas was assigned to the match, we expressed our objections because we’re in Cyprus and we know which teams certain referees support. But we’re not saying this in a negative way because everyone has their favorite teams. Mr. Fellas was unable to manage the match. I understand that when a team plays rough, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the referee must also manage the situation appropriately and protect the players. We saw the referee show excessive leniency toward the Anorthosis player who injured Gomis. He committed several fouls worthy of a yellow card, and some went uncalled. In the incident involving Gomis, it was a violent tackle that went uncalled as a foul; the referee simply blew the whistle for the injury. We demand that the standard of refereeing be raised and that matches be managed more effectively. Whether rough play continues or not depends on the referee. We demand equal treatment, consistent enforcement of the rules, and protection for the players. Our referees lack authority, as it seems they are afraid. We have asked Mr. Damatos and the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) for answers because we want them to explain why certain referees who have disciplinary issues receive all this support. We have requested that Mr. Fellas be excluded from all AEL matches.”
