APOEL footballers know that they have to be ready in every way and as their coach told them "we will have to play our best game to be able to pass". Despite the objective difficulties they will face, no one, without exception, loses their optimism for a positive development in the qualification case. The excitement is great and this may work beneficially. Provided that the performance of the players reaches high levels.
Gustavo Manduca considers it necessary for his team to score a goal: "We have to score, we have to win and we will do everything to continue in this tournament. The team is all together. We hope that with the help of the people we will be able to qualify.
It is something we like and definitely for this game we need them all to be with us to continue writing history in Europe and to show the potential of this team, these players and this country. It is as if something is moving within us, in our hearts, and we also need God's help to continue in this organization. I hope we can all celebrate together again. "
4-4-2 or with a full center?
In the match, Ivan Jovanovic has the luxury of implementing the most ideal plan that will give APOEL the victory. Except for the punished Pinto, the Serbian coach counts on all the players. Ivan Triskovski yesterday followed an individual training program, but this was done for precautionary reasons.
There is no concern for Skopjanos, the medical staff believes that the player is ready and it is up to his coach how to manage him. Under normal circumstances, Triskovski would be in Jovanovic's initial selection, however, given the readiness of all the players, the Charalambides solution may be preferred.
From there on, the big question mark has to do with the layout that the APOEL coach will prefer. 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1; We will find out tomorrow. Both systems have their chances, but no one can think of Jovanovic as to how he will try to hit the opponent. Most of the eleven seats are reserved. In defense, Oliveira, Boaventura, Jorge and Poursaitidis will line up in front of Dionysis Chiotis, while Morais and Souza are both sure of the midfield axis.
Manduka will play on the left and one of Charalambidis and Triskovski on the right. The other two positions will depend on Jovanovic's plan. If preferred 4-4-2 will be covered by Solari, Ailton. Otherwise Marcinho will take a position in the midfield and one of the two forwards will be the only tip.
Mayenko the lord
Alberto Udiano Magenko has been appointed by the UEFA executive committee to lead APOEL's rematch with Lyon. As the European federation announced on its website, the Spanish "ref" will be the master of the match.
He is one of the best referees in Spain and in Europe in general, as he has several performances from games of the top inter-club competition. For the friends of APOEL, Magienko is not so unknown, as who can forget the match of 2004, when in the game with Sparta Prague he blatantly wronged the "blue and yellows", after closing his eyes to two clear penalties. Since then, APOEL has never whistled. Let us hope this time to stand up to him.
In Cyprus the French
Lyon's mission arrived at Larnaca airport late yesterday afternoon. It included all the ready-made football players (21 in total) and left out Ioan Gurgif and Mensa, who are suffering from injuries.
Gioris, Vercourt, Lopez, Dabo, Reveier, Sissoko, Umtiti, Kone, Chris, Lovren, Fofana, Gonalon, Kallstrom, Bastos, Pie, Anderson, Grenier, Lacazette, Brocodis are the 21st Lyon.
The French team will do this afternoon the first and last training session in the GSP, while at 17:45 the press conference of the team coach Remy Gard is scheduled.
"The GSP is ready"
GSP is ready to dress for its holidays and host another Champions League match. As the director of the stadium, Mr. Foivos Konstantinidis, assured in statements to Radio Proto, all the damages caused by the episodes on Sunday night will be repaired by tomorrow, Wednesday, with most of them already repaired. "The next day is a run in order to be ready by Wednesday. Initially, the cleaning crews and the restoration and counting crews got a job.
There is no way we will not catch up, we will be ready by Wednesday. The construction of the stadium has started. UEFA people visited us today (yesterday) and some others will inspect the stadium tomorrow (today). The European federation is directly interested in any problems in the press, on the pitch, in the stands and in the locker rooms. These places are ok. The damage is on the outside (at entrances and cafeteria), so we are fine.
"Until the final fall for the overthrow"
Moderate optimism prevails on the part of the administration in view of tomorrow's match. Panikos Hatziliasis with his statements to "S" admits the advantage of Lyon, however he emphasizes that the footballers will fight until the final fall.
"Lyon has a serious advantage. He is the favorite of the match. Fast, aggressive and experienced team with steady paths in Europe. We will suffer. "On Wednesday night we will suffer a great ordeal", said initially Panikos Hatziliasis. And he added: As a team, however, we have great confidence. We have the wine to withstand the pressure. We have a huge opportunity ahead of us, a maximum challenge. With controlled aggression and risk, we will fight until the final fall for the overthrow, for a great excess. In these games you also need a little luck. Some positive times. 90 minutes - maybe more - may be enough.
Regardless of the result, we are proud of this year's feat of APOEL. It was a great achievement. We have become famous all over the world, financially strong in difficult times, while at the same time for the next five years we will carry in Europe as a legacy several thousand points ".
Panikos Hatziliasis considers the presence of the people as a catalyst: "APOEL is its history and its world. We experience unprecedented emotions, united as never before. We live uniquely unique moments. The presence of the world is catalytic. Its pulse and volume dop the footballers. They always win the battle of the podium, both in Cyprus and in Europe. Every stadium is our headquarters. "The 'orange' noise fans are, in a word, the tsunami of stadiums."
Source: TODAY