Fotis Ioannidis gave an interview about Panathinaikos’ match program for the game against Braga.
The Greek striker spoke about the games with Marseille, about the “clover” (where the best come, as he pointed out), but also about himself, who has signed a contract until 2027 with the team.
Fotis Ioannidis’ interview in detail:
You have the crucial rematch with Braga ahead of you, but first let’s talk about the now historic match with Marseille. You get the ball in your hands, it’s the 98th minute and you know what’s at stake…
I know, he says? (laughs)
Although the circumstances were different, you had experienced it before as you had already won a crucial penalty like the one against PAOK in Toumba…
Yes, especially in Toumba, which was at a similar point in time. Of course, the gravity has nothing to do with that of Velodrome. In Toumba the championship was in the middle and obviously it had a lot of weight because if I lost it we would lose valuable points in the battle for the title. But now it was for a qualification and there was no other chance. You know if you miss the penalty, it’s over. I had it in my head that this would be the last phase of the game. There was pressure which is normal. We are humans. But I handle the pressure well. It is one of my qualifications. I don’t want to argue but it’s true (laughs)…
Everyone has realized this by now…
I thought that with a good shot I could score and luckily I did…
What did you think going into the first run? Did you choose an angle or did you wait until the last minute?
There are games that you choose where to run it during the week. There are other matches that you choose when you get the ball in your hands. In the match against Marseille I took two penalties: in the first one I had chosen in advance which side I would shoot it. And he succeeded. Then, on the second penalty, I thought about taking it to the center. But when I got in front of the goal and got the ball in my hands, I felt that I had the confidence to throw it up again at the same spot and luckily I did it…
How did you experience the entire penalty shootout? It was the first time for the team…
And for me it was the first time. To tell you the truth, when we were together with the children, there were some moments when we made jokes. I remember Adam (Cherin) telling us “quiet, quiet”. I teased them a little. I was trying to relax them a little because I saw them all tense. Certainly it was very important that Marseille missed the first penalty which Alberto (Brignoli) took because after that all the boys were more comfortable with their shots, because there you know that even if you miss it there will be another chance. The most perfect moment though was with Laszlo (Kleinheisler), who has this color that’s a little more red. He went red to take the penalty and came back white. He was pale. Like all of us, of course, at that moment until the ball ends up in the net (laughs)…
All these moments that culminated in a great qualification, against a strong opponent and in a difficult venue, do they grow you and make you stronger in football?
I really have never experienced anything like this before, even at home level. I was trying to hear the referee’s whistle to take the penalty and I couldn’t. I was watching him to see when he would blow the whistle. The commotion was great, I have never experienced anything like it. I think that through all this you realize, not that you grow, but that you can cope at such a level, in such seats, under such conditions, against high-class opponents. You find that at this level the differences are not huge. It’s in the details and we know that if we all improve them, we can cope at this level.
In the last three years, the team has made significant progress, returning to the real level that Panathinaikos should be at. Do you think there is room for even better things?
I came to that point when Panathinaikos started to rise. Maybe in my first year, the team wasn’t up to their standards yet. But we found our footing and slowly started to understand that you can only go up with this team. There is no turning back. It is certain that this team will compete better and get better results. And this year and in the years to come. What happens in the club is very important because stability in choices and decisions is the alpha and the omega.
You are a team that doesn’t bend easily. You show as a group of players that even if a match goes wrong, you believe until the last second that you can turn it around…
Yes, until the last minute. It’s also something we say among ourselves and the players: no matter how bad a match goes, there’s always a way for this group to turn it around…
Day by day, fight by fight, the world’s love for you grows. How do you experience this situation?
The world’s love is getting bigger game by game. And that is my goal. To try to make everyone happy: myself, my family and the fans of Panathinaikos because we are all together in what is happening. We have one goal, success. For me, everything that we live and that I live is something unique…
Last season there were comparisons to Olisadebe because of the last minute goals, this year the comparisons have also started with Sarawak’s penalty kicks. How do you feel hearing all this?
It is a huge honor just to hear such things. It is my joy, pleasure and honor all this…
You are in your fourth season with Panathinaikos, having already signed a new contract. The start is already strong with three goals and two assists. Do you feel that the sequel will be similar?
It’s a new beginning for me too. Essentially, it is the continuation of the previous three years and I believe that both the team and I personally have the foundations to create even better things for greater successes to come both on a team and individual level.
Losing the title last season hurt the team a lot. Does that will for the championship still burn in you?
The truth is that we have a grievance within us. But we have all the resources to win the championship. This is one of our big goals and we work every day to achieve it. I have the impression that during the season we will show a similar face hoping for a more pleasant ending.
And it was only when we started training with the Champions League balls that we started to feel the competition. Even the balls are better (laughs). We’ve been listening to the Champions League anthem since we were little kids and now we’re listening to it live. You’re in the field and it’s all about you. It’s something unique. Just talking about the Champions League now gives me great pleasure. I think our team can do it and beat Braga, a very good opponent.
Source: Sport Fm
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