AEK coach Matias Almeida referred to the changes that made the difference in the press conference following the Union’s win over Olympiakos, commenting on Giorgos Athanasiadi’s outstanding performance.

What Matias Almeida said in detail at the press conference after AEK won 1-0 over Olympiakos:

A comment on the game and the fact that AEK had substance today and took the game in a few phases, unlike what they have done in other derbies these two years?

“First of all, good evening. The first short analysis I can make is that it was a great derby that was played cleanly. With that he turned the game into a draw. Of course I’m happy with the win, but I work in Greece. So I can’t help but look objectively. These matches raise the level of Greek football. It was a tough, tough match played very well. We insisted on winning in today’s match. The opposition has very good players, their style of play has changed and they play a faster, more direct game. I think we were able to interpret that and protect ourselves. Then it looked like we were going to win with the changes. We would have the victory and the three points. And until the final whistle it was successful”.

For Athanasiadis, who was named MVP?

“I already talked to him. We talked constantly. Last year with his presence we won titles. I think the way the week we are going gives us all a way to think. Only one is fair. And there it is… high up. Everyone else makes mistakes. We have good times and bad times. We work as a team. Yes, there are mistakes, but also advantages. It makes me very happy how he played tonight, and things come naturally. Yesterday in training we worked on the static phases and Stankovic was injured. We work with all players the same. And it’s up to each player’s intelligence how he wants to train. Athanasiadis then ready to play and from yesterday to today he had an ideal reaction.”

For the many phases that AEK conceded and whether those phases were a product of Olympiakos’ different play or AEK’s mistakes?

“When there are some phases where he scores many times, it is because the team created it or mistakes from the other team. It is very difficult in a game not to have mistakes. These players have chosen to be goalkeepers and should be in able to play when they have to.”

How does he feel now that he has all the players at his disposal and a strong bench?

“Today I am very happy. I’ll still be happy for another… 40 minutes. Since I generally sleep a few hours after the games, I will start watching the next game. It was an important match. First of all because it was a derby. Because of the conditions, but also because PAOK had won. There were many and we provided many solutions. Most players have returned. Are good. We are many and everyone should defend the positions they are called to play. Both last year and this year I have personally tried to be fair with my choices and think about the team and not just the names. If you look at today’s XI, it was different from other XIs. It’s about strategy. Tonight went well, if it hadn’t gone well the questions would have been different. All players are important. We do training where all the players can show things. We gave a friendship to give time to children who did not have much time to participate. With me, everyone knows they can take chances and be ready.”

For the many changes he made in the game to change AEK’s style of play, even if it is… grand meter?

“You saw many things in the game. In the first minutes we did not follow the right path, played with big balls and knew that the opponent would try to reduce the space. The starting 11 was fighting a physical battle with Olympiakos. His center was strong and they wanted to attack from the flanks. We managed to block him but not play the ball. In the second half we corrected that a bit. The yellows from Szymanski and Rota came and played a derby I didn’t want, that the team was going to play with 10. I didn’t think before the game that Pineda would play back. When we put Ponce with Garcia, we started to lose the center again. That’s when I made the decision to make the change and put Mandalo in it position I had before and make Ljubisic play with Jonsson. That was a kind of strategy we had. Let’s tire the opponent and through the changes let AEK get oxygen and speed. We did that last year. Not this year. And now I was given the chance to take risks. We took the risk and got the result we wanted. If we didn’t win it would be different and maybe we would say we went on the attack and left spaces behind. But I don’t do anything if I don’t train first.’

If he has an opinion on Retsu’s overthrow of Garcia?

“Good night…”.