Marko Nikolić sent a clear message ahead of the Stoiximan Super League opener.

During his customary pre-match interview on Cosmote TV ahead of the game against Heraklis, the Serbian coach declared… that he is in love with the league.

After explaining that he considers it of the utmost importance for AEK to win the title again this year, he addressed the rotation issue due to the match against Levski and expressed his confidence that Lykoiannis will help the team.

Here’s what Nikolić said in detail

On the start of the season: “I’ve spoken about this a few times over the summer, but I need to repeat it one more time. I’ve… fallen in love with this competition, the Greek Super League. With all the intense rivalry at certain moments throughout the season, but in any case, I’m in love with this league. Not because we won it last year, but because, in its own way, it has its own appeal. It’s a domestic competition, and I believe that all serious clubs in every country should respect their own leagues in the proper way.

Certainly, that respect is there on my part. And not just respect, but also a kind of love, as I mentioned earlier regarding the league. This is also a message—a message first and foremost for our fans, for our players, and for everyone within the AEK organization—that the domestic league is of the utmost importance to us. For me, first and foremost, and I believe I will convey this importance to the AEK players.

Of course, to do this, we’ll need help from everyone else—the media, the fans, everyone—so that we can perform as we did last year. Because the players radiate energy, but they also absorb energy. If the energy is sluggish or has the feel of a celebration or summer vacation, they perceive it as such. But if it has that positive intensity, with focus and a hunger for victory, then they’ll perceive it exactly that way. These are all my messages ahead of the start of the league, because—I’ll say it one more time—I wouldn’t be saying these things if I weren’t in love with this league, with this competition.”

On the match against Heraklis: “I know very well what Heraklis stands for, historically speaking; I know how many of my compatriots played there or coached there in the ’80s and ’90s. It’s a historic club, and we know that it’s not just Heraklis, but all the other ‘newcomer’ teams in leagues around the world that can cause major problems in the early rounds. I’m not saying anything new; everyone knows and understands this.

They have a renowned coach, a respectable team; they moved up to the top division from the second division in style, without much pressure last year. They have a strong tradition; they’re free from pressure; they’re coming to enjoy their first game. That gives them a chance to pick up points—all of which are… warning signs for us. We need to realize that we’ll have to push ourselves to the limit tomorrow in front of our fans. We want to kick off the season here, at home, with three points—that’s clear to us.”

On whether he’ll rotate the lineup ahead of the match against Levski Sofia: “Maybe one, two, or three players, but I won’t rotate just for the sake of rotating. Because this is what’s best for this specific game. If I rotated the lineup now, just in the third game of the season, then everything I told you a minute ago would be a lie.”

On the signing of Babis Lykoiannis: “A Greek player, a good player. A player who will help us with rotation, thanks to his personality and experience. He understands his role on this team, and he also gives us flexibility and options for the future European roster. He’s an experienced soccer player, with good height, a good left foot—let’s put it that way—and an Italian style of play. He’s not exactly a dynamic or explosive player, but he’s very experienced and tactically sound. I believe he’ll help us this season.”

*photo source: KYPE