Almeida: “The 4th was saying that he doesn’t understand what the referees are saying, because he doesn’t know the language”

In detail, what he said at the press conference:

For fielding the same lineup: “The decisions we make will have to be analyzed when we see the game. From the football side, I believe that, without playing our usual game, in the first half we created opportunities to score. We improved the defensive part in counterattacks compared to the previous game. We played like it was a final, but the way I see football I think the game had a lot of breaks. In the second half we tried to fix that which was about the pressure. We changed some moves. At the beginning of the second half the opponent had a clear phase to score and we tried to control the game, not with clear phases like in the first half. In general the team played as it deserves to be played in these games. I have some questions about the ending that could change what we’re discussing now.”

For the last phase of the match: “I think you saw it better than I did. When you see it from above it is clearer. I don’t know, I saw that at the beginning he gave a penalty. If you have the possibility to check the VAR, why not? I always try to keep my cool, but something strikes me and I find it difficult. Today I step into the position of the fourth referee, with the dialogue I always try to have. The fourth said that he does not understand what the referees are discussing, because he does not understand the language they speak. Why have a fourth referee? He is the best referee in Greek football. Football is a spectacle. We all want to win, we all live it with passion. Everyone is trying to have an advantage in something, but it seems to me that there is a lot of people around football in the stands. It has forty people. It seems to be like American football. We want to play, we try to take outs quickly, we like football. We may win, we may lose but we try to have a style.

On whether everything is played from the beginning in the play-offs or someone has an advantage: “In my thoughts I have something. In the racing part no one has an advantage. We are equal. It would be nice if the one who deserves it wins and we try to win. To have so many teams competing for the title means growth for the sport. I would have liked to have more points but we are talking about football and competition. Based on the racing part it will be a fight to the end. I don’t know about off-season.”

On whether AEK is affected by the last two results and what Sidiropoulos was asking: “Since we entered the stadium, the numbers speak in our favor. We’ve won a lot of games. We have faced our opponents strongly and having lost the previous game and now that the play-offs are starting we know that the games will be similar. I will always be upset about the three actions in the previous match that did not allow us to win. But when the team perseveres like they did today, it makes me feel like we’re competitive. I believe we will be in the battle for the title. As for the quarterback, I often try to talk because I understand that he can help his colleagues. They communicate with a microphone when it works because today it didn’t work for five minutes. Then with the fourth we can have a dialogue. But when he can’t communicate with the other three, then he’s redundant. And I always talk about both groups. I don’t like to get a competitive advantage. I’m not saying that something happened today, but they impoverish football. I believe that sometimes when someone is off the field it can affect a phase. If there is no possibility of communication, then let them bring a translator. But when there is a fourth party and he cannot participate, then something is wrong. Let me make it clear that this does not mean that it affected the final result. I mention this because if we don’t win, then our positions are in question. Both we and the players spend a lot of time to win a game. And if we deserve it to win it, if not not to win it. In a league with footballers who get a lot of money, in a league where we play to get places for European competitions, we all have to improve. That’s why I’m referring to this fact that 40 people are protesting.”

About how great his fights with Ivan Jovanovic are: “I respect every coach because I know that we all live and work for the same thing. I can say that I stopped feeling competition when I stopped playing football. What I want is for my players to be happy because they will give us victory. I can give them some tools, tell them some things I have experienced. I’m in this job to succeed. Of course I respect every coach because he tries to help his team with his own weapons. But what is clear to me is that the real protagonists are the footballers. Those who are below are a part we accompany and the owner who hires you is number one.”

About whether something was done against him after the end of the match in the locker room: “When the games are over, there is often a lot of tension. Because there is a lot of people as I said before, quite a few times something can be said. We too are at 2,000 squeezes per hour. And I personally don’t like being disrespected because I respect everyone. When I played football I always showed respect. When there is a lack of respect then I react. The day I lose it I will quit football. I live it with passion, with love and I always respect every opponent and put this first. I don’t like someone walking by and saying something verbally to me to pick me up. But there are things in football that stay there. For now, I have blood in my veins. And there are moments when my blood boils. The day I have water then I will be in another place. And because I feel one with this club, even though I’ve been here for a short time, I’m connected to history, I’m happy to be AEK’s coach, I’ll defend it wherever I can in the best possible way.”

Why didn’t the plan work compared to the previous match with Olympiakos: “That’s a good point. We did very well with Olympiakos in the first half. We had planned a pressure in the first half and the opponent because of his characteristics and our own slow movements broke this pressure. They didn’t get to our goal in the first half, but they had more intensity. Panathinaikos plays differently than Olympiacos. They try to come out of defense in control of the game and it is difficult to take control from Panathinaikos. So it took us a while to realize what we had to do until we changed some positions and fixed it. They are two fairly equal groups. So it’s a shame that the ball stops so many times”.