Ernesto Valverde and Vassilis Torosidis said they were ready for tomorrow's Cup final and winning the double in the press conference held yesterday. "We are prepared for the double and it would be a very nice way to 'close' the year," said the Spanish coach, who commented on the designation as a favorite at Olympiakos. "We do not want to think so, because we can we lose »…
Ernesto Valverde's statements in detail:
-For the final and the characterization "favorite" attributed to Olympiakos:
"We are one day before the final. It is an important day for both us and Atromitos. I believe that it will be a nice final. We are prepared for the double and it would be a very nice way to "close" the year. We know that the world has given us the title of favorite. We do not want to think that way, because we can lose. In a final anything can happen and is the best way to
prepare a game ".
-For the fact that it is his last official match:
"I do not know. I think I will think of something. What I will ask them is to win. Anyway, I do not think it is a special game. The only peculiarity is that it is a final and they are played with mind and soul. So I do not think it's my last game, but a final. "
-On whether it could withstand a similar process as in the final with AEK which was judged after several penalties:
"No please… It was not the first final judged on penalties. All the players had scored. In a final you have to be prepared for everything. It's not what we prefer but we are prepared. "
-For Mitroglou, Tato even if they can do damage:
"I think about it because they are, if not the two best players of Atromitos, one of the best. They are not two players who are just two good players, but because they characterize the game of Atromitos. Mitroglou scores, while Tatos creates the game. It is true that Mitroglou did not have many opportunities at Olympiakos, unlike Atromitos and this is a success of the coach of Atromitos ".
-For how he awaits Atromitos:
"I think there will be surprises. He will not be defensive and will try to surprise us. In the championship game, Atromitos closed far behind and we easily conquered the field. It will be difficult to have places tomorrow ".
-For the participation of Ibagasa:
"I can not help you yet. I have not decided. "Ibagasa trained normally, but we will know in the afternoon."
-What does he keep from his presence on the bench of Olympiacos:
"What I will be left with is the way the Greeks treated me. I will never forget it. And as you can imagine, what I want to forget are some episodes, which are bad for us ".
-If winning the double will help him in the continuation of his career:
"I do not know. Let's take it and see. "All I can think about is tomorrow."
Torosidis: "If we play like the whole season, we are not afraid"
If Olympiakos continues the good performances that it had at the critical moments in the championship, then Olympiakos has nothing to fear from Atromitos, said Vassilis Torosidis, who represented the players in today's press conference.
"Being a favorite has its advantages and disadvantages. Everything can be done. We can lose it or we can win it. If Olympiacos plays like all year round, it has nothing to fear. If we are not serious, we can lose ", he stressed -initially- and continued by clarifying that there is no anxiety due to the fact that the red and whites are presented as favorites…
"As I said, it is a final. Anything can happen. Atromitos is a good team. I think we do not think about it. What we want is the Cup. Olympiacos is a great team and through positive or negative results to come out strong the next day. There is motivation. "
The captain of Olympiacos clarified that there is no possibility of complacency in the minds of the players. "In the years we lost the Cup, we did not lose the title in the final. The final is a final. No matter how early you get the championship, in the final everyone has their minds on the game because a title is judged. All children try. We can not relax. "It is not possible because the friendly in Australia we go to win", he said and then referred to the possibility of winning it.
"I can not think that he will help me for the Euro. What I am thinking about is how I will win the title. From there we will see. We still have a long way to go. They are two different things. "At the moment, I am thinking about Olympiakos and then Ethniki", he stressed.
"All the championships and the Cup have sweets. "For the coach, I do not know why it may be the last game but not the last year", he continued, referring to the coach of Olympiacos.
Source: sport-fm.gr