Panathinaikos coach Jacob Nistrup said he wants to see a different performance from his players on Monday's Conference League return leg against CSKA 1948 in Bulgaria, compared with the first match at OAKA.
Speaking at a press conference, Nistrup said scoring and conceding goals easily were both important issues. He said Panathinaikos had scored goals but he was not satisfied with the conversion rate from the chances created. He said the team had more possession in the second half of the first leg, but the main problem was that they were too vulnerable, adding that CSKA 1948 handled the situation better despite having less of the ball.
Club's history in Europe
Nistrup said everyone at the club was aware of Panathinaikos' history in Europe and was proud of what the club had achieved, but said the current squad had to focus on its own work rather than the past. He noted the club won the championship 15 years ago, and said the team's identity was to play in Europe, though nothing was guaranteed. He said the goal was to be better than they were in the last 60 minutes at OAKA.
Tetteh, Levi Garcia and Desers available
On the three attacking additions, Tetteh, Levi Garcia and Desers, Nistrup said all three were available to play and had been cleared by doctors, physiotherapists and fitness trainers. He described Tetteh's situation as slightly complicated and different from Desers', and said Levi Garcia had been the MVP in training and was ready.
CSKA 1948's rhythm advantage
Asked whether CSKA 1948 had an advantage in rhythm since they have already started their league campaign, Nistrup disagreed, saying Panathinaikos also had an advantage in only having to prepare for these matches, since they are currently focused solely on Europe.
Financial investment and pressure
Asked about the pressure on Panathinaikos given an investment of close to 25 million euros compared with CSKA 1948's minimal spending, Nistrup said the pressure was enormous but always present as Panathinaikos coach. He said he had 110 percent trust in the roster, adding that the club had invested far more money than CSKA 1948 has or will in coming years. He said he was confident all the investments would pay off and that the team would be a very good side either way, in Europe or in Greece.
