Dynamo coach – about preparing the team for the return match with Aris and the impact of the war on the players
Head coach Dynamo Mircea Lucescu spoke about whether he feels pressure from the club’s management ahead of the second leg against Arisa in the third qualifying round Conference leagues.
Lucescu also spoke about the preparation of Dynamo for tomorrow’s match, which will be held in Bucharest.
“You press always want to be ahead of the engine, asking questions that are convenient for you. But you don’t know a lot, in particular, you don’t know what kind of contract I have with Dynamo, what agreements I have with the president of the club,” Lucescu said.
“Yes, of course, there is pressure. But do not forget that our team is one of the few that has a large number of its own students, and almost no foreigners. First, the legionnaires left the club due to the pandemic, which spoiled the plans of many, including us. Then – the beginning of a full-scale war and the departure of Ukrainian players and foreigners abroad. Our youth needs adaptation, experience gained through games. There are some problems, some pressure, I’m ready for that. Getting ready for tomorrow’s match.”
“Also don’t forget that yesterday showed that another Greek team, Panathinaikos, passed Marseille in the Champions League qualification. AEK also defeated Dinamo (Zagreb). If you look at the warehouse, you will hardly see Greeks there. Aris can also be added here – there are almost no Greeks in this team either. And there are players with great international experience from different countries. To play at the right level, we have to be very organized and act with great enthusiasm. I want to see it with my team tomorrow. Then we can be better than the opponent.”
“Continuing this topic, I want everyone to understand, especially abroad, what it means to support football in a war. It is very difficult to play with empty stands, without fans, when the players need to look for emotions in themselves and add them. It is difficult to start the game when there is always a minute of silence before the starting whistle in memory of the dead. Just before leaving for Thessaloniki, which lasted 23 hours by train, bus, plane, one of our players asked to go home to bury his brother who died in the war. The family was left without a breadwinner, and two children without a father. It is very difficult. And we demand self-giving from him.”
“Football players deserve special respect for what they are doing during this difficult time. Yes, we understand that many Ukrainians die at the front, but the soldiers follow football, our performances, this makes the guys work with redoubled energy. But everyone in the soul has pain, loss. It’s hard to set up players in these conditions.”
“We really hope that tomorrow the audience will come and support us, we need this support, and it will help us. A week ago, not only the opposing team played against us, but also all the spectators, the Greeks, who did not always follow the rules of fair play. To a greater extent, I hope that the Ukrainians, who now live in Bucharest, will come, I want to invite them to our game.”
“Rescheduling the match against Chernomorets? There are no such options. Because there are no more free dates. On Friday morning we train here in Bucharest, then we go to the airport, fly to Chisinau, and from there by bus to Odessa, where we should arrive late in the evening.”
In Greece, Dynamo lost to Aris with a score of 0:1. The second leg will take place on August 17 in Bucharest at the Rapid Giulesti stadium. The start is at 20:00. The bout will be served by an Austrian team of referees led by Sebastian Gieshamer.
Source: Sportarena
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