Lucescu: “I don’t know who and why is against us, but all this is provocative”

The fact that PAOK is systematically wronged by the referees and the VARs was addressed in his statements after the end of the semi-final with Lamia, the Rasvan Lucescu.

The Romanian coach emphasized that this whole situation is challenging for his team, while he then emphasized that there is also the rematch, which he and his players must manage properly.

In detail what the PAOK coach said at the press conference:



On the tension in the finale and if people misunderstood him: “PAOK complains about the clear penalty phase at the start of the game. We can’t understand what’s going on with VAR! Tripoli, Ioannina, now, in many other matches! Tell me what would happen if these happened in AEK, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos matches. All this is against us! Why doesn’t the phase turn back? This is not all by chance! I don’t know who and why they are against us. This is all challenging! We “greeted” at the end of the match with the friends of Lamia. Even a cardboard has tension, not only us”.

As for whether his team has already secured qualification: “No. We have an advantage, but there is one more game and we have to manage it.”.

On PAOK’s form and the quick goal he scored: “This is our job. I don’t want to comment much on this. Sometimes you can surprise the opponent, sometimes not. Other times the game can become more difficult because you don’t score early. It’s an interesting season where we learn a lot, make mistakes, but try not to repeat them. Players are starting to understand what they need to do. We’re gaining intensity in the way we play and we’re confident in how we hold the ball and distribute it.”.

On his team’s versatility in scoring: “We are working on it. We have a plan where we want to put as many players as possible in the opposing area. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don’t. “We cry” for points we lost with Atromitos, with Levadeiakos, with Olympiakos which is a game that “drives me crazy”, in Tripoli with what happened”.

To manage it in the backs: “Sastre also competes on the left side of the defense and has shown it. He has made good plays in that position. It may be an insider solution for us. Rafa Soares was at risk because he has played a lot of games for that and we decided to go for this solution”.