The team’s press officer, Nicolas Leventis, spoke about everything related to AEL in remarks he made to “SUPERSPORT 104.” He discussed tonight’s derby against Anorthosis, the new team that is “being built,” fan attendance at the stadium, the signing of Stefan Jovetić, as well as the need for patience and support from the “blue-and-yellows” fanbase.
On today’s match against Anorthosis: “Certainly, every start to the season is difficult, especially when you have to face a great and historic team like Anorthosis. It’s a major test for us, which we’re obviously approaching with the utmost seriousness and respect for our opponent. Certainly, our opponent has faced and continues to face some difficulties, both on and off the field, but they remain a great, historic team, and we must be fully prepared so that we can overcome our opponent’s resistance.
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Beyond that, here at AEL, we believe we’ve had a very good preseason. It’s a new lineup, with 17 new players, if I’m not mistaken. It will take time to execute what we want on the field. However, at the start of the season, as you know very well, we’re not so concerned with the team’s competitive performance. We’re more interested in picking up at least three points, so that we can find our footing— so to speak, and so the team can work without pressure and with greater focus on tactics and gameplay, in order to improve.”
On the many young players: “Definitely. The only thing I’d like to add to what you’re saying is that there’s one person, Hugo Martins, who in recent years has been a master of his craft when it comes to building cohesion and creating a new team, because in every team he’s worked with, 12, 13, or 14 young players, and we saw his teams function very well on the field. Beyond that, the field is the true reflection, as you quite rightly pointed out.”
On fan attendance: “Look, what we want—as a team—is for the fans to be there. The presence of several thousand of our fans so far is a given. To give you some numbers, we’ve sold around 5,300 tickets in advance, so you can imagine that, together with the 1,100 Anorthosis fans, it’ll be a wonderful atmosphere. The atmosphere is always great at matches between AEL and Anorthosis. And that’s what we want—for the stands to be packed. Our own fans, as you know very well, are right there with us every year.
What we’re asking for this year is patience and trust in the people who are working on the competitive side of the team, so that we can give them the time and support they need to build the team properly. And so that, over time, we can restore AEL to its rightful place as a top contender. Beyond that, we should always express ourselves respectfully, always behave appropriately, support our teams, and enjoy the game. Someone will win, someone will lose. Beyond that, that’s just how soccer is. We respect ourselves, our opponents, and move forward. Let’s take care of our soccer, since we love it.”
On the transfer market and Jovetić: “I believe we’ve wrapped things up with the addition of Jovetić, a tremendous player. We got to know him best on Cypriot fields during his time with Omonia. There was a lot of excitement here within the team as well.”
Regarding the message to the fans: “Yes, and it was evident in ticket sales for the match, which skyrocketed significantly after 24 hours. But on behalf of AEL, let’s once again offer our support to everyone, regardless of whoever’s name they bear. Of course, everyone is judged on the field, but we must support them. Whatever happens today is just one match. There are so many more matches to come. It’s a marathon. It’s a marathon, and that’s the message we want to convey to the fans. We don’t need to judge from the first game or the first friendly whether the team will be good or not. It’s a long marathon. We’ll need every player.
Sports culture has changed, and so, I believe, have the style of play and the level of play in soccer. So let’s give our time to the people who are qualified, knowledgeable, and professional. After all, the players themselves are the ones who want to succeed the most. Beyond that, we want the fans by our side. There will be a pre-game event for young children at 5:00 p.m. outside “Alphamega” with inflatable attractions, face painting, and more. We hope people—families—will come out to enjoy their day and have a great time. AEL hosts events like this outside the “Alphamega” stadium, and we all hope that by the end of the day, we’ll be the winners of the derby.”
