Djuricic: “Very happy to be here – We dream of Champions League groups”

For his decision to come to Panathinaikos, his progress so far with the “greens”, the qualification against Dnipro, but also for the great challenge of the matches with Marseillespoke in the match program of tonight’s match, o Filip Djuricic!

What the Serbian ace of Panathinaikos said:



You have been at Panathinaikos for more than a month. You participated in the preparation, you played in the friendlies, the official matches started with smiles, you got to know the team, the people, the field… How do you feel now wearing the green?



“I am very happy to be here. This is the most important thing. Everything is positive and that gives me a pleasant feeling. The preparation went well, although I didn’t have much time for holidays and to rest as much as I would have liked. But we had to get to work. And the start was great because we beat Dnipro in the first match and celebrated qualifying for the second leg. It is very important that we started the season immediately securing our presence in European groups”.

The summer European qualifiers force you to dive into the… deep early. Before the season has even started, you find yourself playing “finals”. How did you manage it as a team?



“Indeed, it is a difficult period because during the time when you are actually building your team, you also have to play important games. And if you don’t succeed in these matches, the whole season can change. So it was very important to start with positive results. And fortunately we did”.

Did you lose some weight after Dnipro, which can relieve you a bit of the pressure of the upcoming games with Marseille?



“To be honest, when you play matches like this there is always pressure. After all, the big goal for every footballer is the Champions League. We dream of playing there and we will do everything to make it happen. In any case, it was very important for the club that returned to the groups after seven years. I am very happy that we achieved this goal. This also shows that the club is improving year by year. Last year the team was eliminated in the qualifiers and this year it went through to the groups. This shows progress, development and improvement”.

Is it important that, early in the season, you hit your first goal?



“Yes very much. At the end of the season, looking back, you will see that you achieved something positive. What happened is a good sign”.

Next up is a big challenge against Marseille, who still haven’t played an official match. Can it be an advantage for Panathinaikos that they already have two important games under their feet?



“You can’t be sure of the situation a team is going to be in. It can be an advantage for us who already have matches, it can be for them if they are fresher. It depends on the situation each team will be in the two games. So we should focus on our team and our preparation in order to appear in the best possible condition. We are playing the first game at home and we have to be strong to face them properly”.

Do you have a difficult mission ahead of you? Do you think qualification is possible?



“For sure we have a strong opponent in front of us and we have to be ready. But we can do it. We have to believe that we can succeed”.

What is your impression of Marseille?



“It is a big club, one of the biggest in France. They have a “hot” atmosphere at their headquarters, just like we do at ours. I know several Marseille players, some of them are even my friends. This is definitely a strong team, which has an advantage. Year after year it proves to be a top class club. So for us it’s a very big challenge to see where we are.”.

You played for the first time at Leoforo in an official match in the presence of the team’s fans and you felt the… electricity in the atmosphere. How did that feel?



“It was something very nice. I was waiting for it to tell the truth because from the first moment I was told about the atmosphere of the Avenue. It was a really nice feeling and I think if we are even better at our game, the atmosphere will be even better. But I think we gave joy to our fans because they know that they will definitely have three European group games at home.”.

The first impression you formed about our house, Leoforo?



“I will tell you this: It may be an old and small stadium but it has soul and you feel the atmosphere. You feel something different on the Avenue…”.

What are your first impressions of Panathinaikos?



“For sure our team has the quality to play in the European Cups and in the groups. This is certain. I don’t know the Greek league yet, so I can’t have an opinion about it, but I can say with confidence that we have a very quality team with good, experienced and young players. We have a good team but we have to keep working. We are still learning each other, as one month cannot be enough for a team. But we show early on that there is a good connection between us. We showed it in the friendlies and also in the first match against Dnipro where we achieved a very important victory with 3-1. This score may have affected us in the second leg. Maybe we thought it would be easier to get through…”.

Nevertheless, the team showed character and produced a positive reaction in the second leg in a difficult situation…



“Indeed, we reacted well. The moment we conceded 1-2 I was very annoyed. I knew we had to get a goal to finish the job. That’s why I started asking for the ball more than I usually do…”.

On a personal level, you started strongly. How do you feel about your role in the team now?



“For me, the beginning was very important. I scored a valuable goal in the away match against Dnipro and made an important assist where the team really needed it. After all, for these reasons I came to the team”.

You felt the love of the world before you even put on the team shirt, but now you feel it much more strongly. How do you experience this situation?



“I will be honest. I never get excited by something like that because I know that when things are going well, everything is good, but when things are going bad, then everything is bad. I have the experience and know how to handle such situations. But it is certainly very pleasant to feel the love of the world”.

What do you like about the Panathinaikos game?



“I like that we play attacking football. Even away to Dnipro, our philosophy and our aim was aggressive. And this certainly helps me more as I am an aggressive player. I also like the fact that even though the team is already playing well, there is room for improvement. So it has a perspective to become even better”.

We understand from what we see on the field that the football philosophy of coach Jovanovic and the team suits you. Do you have the same opinion?



“With no doubt. When I was still thinking about whether to come to Panathinaikos, this was an element that was pointed out to me. So I checked the style of play, the system, the football that the coach and the team want to play. In fact, I thought it was strange that we didn’t score many goals last season. But already in the first two matches they have scored five goals. This is a good sign because if you want to win titles and achieve your goals, you will have to score more goals. Of course, we also conceded three goals. But the truth is that I’d rather score five and concede three than win 1-0 (laughter)”.

Your adjustment to the team seems to have happened very quickly. What played into this?



“I quickly adapted to all the teams I went to. I think that has to do with the fact that I speak the language of football. And everyone in a group understands this language. So when I join a team, I know what my job is and I know I have the quality to do it.”.

This is not always easy, even for quality players. How do you do it?



“I think the key is to walk the line between arrogance and confidence. If you are too arrogant they don’t accept you, if you don’t have confidence they don’t trust you. So you must be somewhere in the middle. It’s hard to balance but I managed. And I think that both the team and the fans accepted me…”.

What kind of atmosphere did you encounter in the Panathinaikos locker room?



“Very good atmosphere. It is very important to have a good dressing room. For me it was important from the pre-season friendlies to show my teammates that they can trust me and that they can count on me”.

What were your first thoughts when you heard about Panathinaikos’ interest?



“When I first heard about Panathinaikos, without having yet spoken to the team, I said to my wife “I don’t know why, but I have a good feeling. I have to go there.” When I first told my friends, they didn’t believe that I would choose Greece. I could have continued in Serie A. However, after seven years in Italy I wanted a new challenge, something new, a change. My goal was to play in the European competitions. And then I spoke with the sports director of Panathinaikos, with whom I can say that we found a common code of communication. Everything went quickly from there on.”.

What motivated you to come to Panathinaikos?



“Obviously I knew it’s a very big club with a huge history and a lot of fans. But when I saw that he has won the championship since 2010 and that he has been outside Europe and groups for several years, I said “I know why I want to go and play there”. I am at an age where I have played for many years at a high level and in many big clubs. So for me it wasn’t about the money but the new challenge. And we have already achieved something good”.

On the pitch we see you playing with passion and intensity. Off the field how is Philip?



“I’m different off the field. I have learned to manage situations now. I used to have problems (laughs). Many times the coaches ask me “which of the two are you?” The one you are on the field or outside of it?”. I have a family now, I have three children and I approach life differently. Whatever I had to do, I’ve done (laughs). Now I have a family and quiet life that mainly revolves around the children. I am trying to be 100% professional because I want to play football for 5-6 years at a high level. So I have to live a good life”.

What do you like to do in your free time?



“I like to play tennis or swim which helps me relax. I used to play a lot of Playstation but now with the kids I’ve stopped. There is no time…”.

What other sports do you like to watch besides football?



“I like watching basketball. I watch Euroleague. I support Red Star…”.

No Partisan? We at Panathinaikos love Obradovic, you know…



“No, not Partizan (laughter)! I have a lot of respect for Obradovic but I’m with Asteras. I will definitely go to the stadium to watch Panathinaikos games in the Euroleague”.