The belief that his team will give everything for victory in tomorrow’s (31/8, 20:30) match with PAOK in Toumba, for the Conference League playoffs, its coach expressed at the press conference before the match Hearts, Frank McAvoy.
After describing Lucescu’s team as a very difficult opponent, he spoke both about the risks his team will have to take to pull off the upset, as well as about the fans of the “Northern Doubleheader”.
What the Hearts coach said in detail:
For the high temperature: “Wherever we play we should respect the prevailing conditions, that’s why we came from yesterday, we entered the field, we have also played in Marbella in similar conditions, we have prepared in the best possible way. The conditions on the pitch will be different because of the high temperature, we are trying to come to terms with these conditions, but there is also a very difficult opponent we have played against at home as well”.
What he should pay attention to from PAOK: “We knew exactly what we were going to face, they are a very good team defensively and offensively, playing very high at certain moments, they are a very difficult opponent. We knew how talented players he has, in the first match their goalkeeper made two fantastic interventions in the first half. We have to see it as a final and win at all costs”.
On how his team should play: “We have to win, we are prepared to go as far as possible. We know how big a threat PAOK is, they have a team that has made progress in the past, we want to take advantage of all our assets and advance”.
On the risk Hearts must take in attack to win: “We know the work we have to do and we know very well that we have to take advantage of all the opportunities that will be given to us. We have a plan to stick to, we will put as much pressure on PAOK as we can, we have shown that we can create chances and if everything goes well we will create problems for PAOK. We know exactly what PAOK is, what their goal is, we have to prevent them from achieving it. The important thing is to take advantage of all the opportunities, the important moments in the match, to use them properly”.
For the court surface which is large: “We have to adapt and ensure that every time we are given the opportunity or PAOK has the ball we make the right decision.”
On what he will tell his players about the Toumba atmosphere: “PAOK has fanatical fans, we know it, we do too, and in Scotland we play in front of 50, 60 thousand people with Rangers and Celtic, but the game is not played in the stands but on the field and we will do everything to keep the fans focused players”.
Source: Sport Fm
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