Mpernard: “I have great faith in the team. We can achieve great things this year”

Bernard expressed his faith in the Panathinaikos team but also his belief that the “clover” can achieve a great course inside and outside of Greece.

The Brazilian, speaking as part of the Match Program of tonight’s match (19:30) with PAOK at Leoforo, referred to last season, the elements that help the “greens” cope with difficult situations, the injury of Hordur Magnuson, but also in tonight’s derby with the “doubleheader of the north”.

Analytically:

Did the loss to AEK hurt you but the reaction was immediate and dynamic with a tough but big win in Tripoli? How did the team come back?

“It’s always difficult when you come from a derby loss. And especially when you play at home, in front of your fans. We started the game against AEK well, we scored early goals, we did a great job, but we didn’t continue to play as well and conceded a draw. And while at the beginning of the second half we improved and played better football trying to do some things better on the field, in the end we lost. The important thing is that three days after the defeat we gave our answer on the field. We had an important 4-1 win and at a ground where we hadn’t won in the last seven games. This gives even more value to our victory.”

Just like last season, the team seems to have a way of coming back from difficult situations. How do you manage?

“We have this style of play. We always try to play our way, even if the game is not going our way. Even if things don’t go our way on the pitch, we keep trying all the time, working with our own style and the way we train. This is very important because we have a very stable structure as a team. We have to watch each match individually. We should neither stay attached to what happened in previous games nor think about the matches to come. We must keep our minds solely on the race before us. Every game is difficult and we know what we will face, but at the same time we know that we have the potential to win every game.”

What is it that gives you faith that you can cope with any difficult situation?

“We have a great group. In each position there are two or three quality players, who can enter the game at any time and provide important solutions. Just as it happened in the match against Asteras, where almost the entire lineup changed, but the team presented a very good image and celebrated a valuable victory. What happened in Tripoli shows that everyone is working hard in training and that everyone has a very high degree of concentration and readiness.”

The next opponent is PAOK. You know each other well after so many league and cup matches. Does losing to AEK in the previous derby give you extra motivation to win?

“What we know is that we have to win every match to stay high in the standings. We also know that we have a very difficult game ahead of us. The matches against PAOK always have a high degree of difficulty and have a real derby character. So it is very important to win and get the three points. We are playing at home and we want to win in front of our crowd because this will help the team in terms of points and psychologically. We know it will be a difficult game but we also know we have the quality to win. I think we have to learn some lessons from the last game we lost at home to AEK and do some things differently to get the three points.”

What game are you waiting for knowing the characteristics of PAOK?

“PAOK, in all the games I have played against them, always has strength, passion and intensity. They like to be aggressive in their branding. They have great quality offensively. They have fast players, like Tyson for example. We were Shakhtar together years ago but he remains a very quality, very fast and very dangerous player. He can do good things on the field. We have to be careful in our game and limit our opponent. We have to impose our game, our pace and show on the pitch why we are a high-level team.”

It’s still early days, but having already gotten a first taste of the new league, do you think the title battle will be as close-knit as last season?

“Yes, I think it will be so. The truth is that I have faith in our team and a lot of confidence in what we are doing. We have strengthened with players who have very high quality and are already helping the team. Certainly, our opponents have also strengthened a lot. AEK we know has a very strong team, Olympiacos is also playing good games at the start of the season and PAOK is an excellent opponent. But we are also very strong. I’m sure we can achieve very good things.”

What do you base this belief on?

“We have a good team. We are a well-crafted ensemble and have excellent material. Players arrived who brought new elements to the team and who give extra quality. It’s definitely a long season. There are many matches and the demands are high, so we have to go game by game. We cannot have in our mind what will happen in the play offs. We have to look at today and the fight ahead of us. In this phase we are in, it is our obligation to collect as many points as possible to be as high as we can in the standings.”

At the same time there is the challenge of Europe, which you all seem to be enjoying. Are you optimistic about the team’s progress in the Europa League?

“First of all I want to say that the games with Braga left us with a great bitterness. And that’s because we really felt that we could achieve our goal and qualify for the Champions League groups. It was something that was decided in the details. I felt we had the potential to qualify. I think we showed the potential we have as a team in the match against Villarreal, that is against an opponent that has a strong and quality team and that comes from a big league. In such a high level game we played good football, dominated and showed our strength. I really think we can achieve good things in the Europa League.”

You have enjoyed the uniqueness of Leoforos, now you have also experienced the huge crowd that gathered at OAKA for the two European matches with Braga and Villarreal. How did you feel entering the stadium and seeing 60,000 spectators in the stands?

“I honestly love playing on the Avenue. I like that feeling, that the fans are so close to us. You get the impression that they are playing with you too. But when you play in a stadium with 60,000 fans it is something incredible, something unique. Our fans never stopped shouting, singing and supporting us. The atmosphere in the stands was incredible. Every player wants to play in front of such a large and such an enthusiastic audience. I really enjoy all our home games and I’m very happy that the fans believe in our team. They give us even more motivation to give more on the pitch. I personally am a player who gives 150% on the pitch but with such an atmosphere and such support, I strive for even more…”

Last season you didn’t have the contribution you wanted in terms of goals and assists despite the great effort you put in on the pitch. But the new season started early with goals and assists. Did something change or was it more a matter of luck?



“I’m the first to put a lot of pressure on myself. I always push myself to be the best. I’m always looking for ways to help the team more, be it with goals or assists. Of course, the most important thing is for the team to win. I personally am very happy when we win, even if I haven’t scored or assisted. During the last season we also discussed it with the coach that I didn’t score much and I didn’t get the assists I wanted, but that I was helping the team in different ways. Fortunately the new season started differently. I try to be closer to the opponent’s goal, press the area, shoot more and generally be more energetic in the offensive part. Of course, the work I do is the same as last season. Sometimes it’s a matter of luck. I have to tell you that I was not at all happy with this situation last year. And that’s why I put more pressure on myself because I know there are some things I can do better. I can also score, I can also give assists. For these reasons I am here. In addition to the great effort, I also have to present numbers. And I am really very happy that this year I am now helping the team in other ways. And I will continue to strive for even more…”

Magnusson’s injury was something that hurt the whole team not only competitively but also on a human level. What message would you like to send him in this difficult time?

“It was very bad what happened. We were all very sad. Magnusson is a player who made big sacrifices during last season. Many times he had to play in pain to help the team. And he is really a very good boy. Everyone in the team – both the players and the rest of the staff – really loves him. He is an amazing kid, he has a good heart, he always tries to help others. He is a positive person and always comes to training with a smile. Unfortunately, that’s life in football. There are some things that you cannot avoid no matter how well trained you are. At the end of the day, my opinion is that we are in God’s hands. That’s why even before the matches I always ask Him to protect me from such situations. Injuries are the worst thing that can happen in a footballer’s life. And these injuries especially, which keep you away from the pitch for several months, are difficult for the player’s psychology. That’s why I sent him a big message after the AEK game wanting to support him. I told him that I would be by his side for whatever he needed and whenever he needed it. I’m sure he’ll come back stronger and enjoy some good times in football.”

You are in your second year in Greece. How do you feel having now adapted to Greek everyday life?

“I really like Greece. I’ve said it before, it reminds me a lot of Brazil. The weather especially is so good! For me this is something very important, especially having spent several years in Ukraine. At first I didn’t really care because it was my first contact with Europe and I was just happy to play in the big European competitions. Towards the end, however, it was difficult. In winter there were days with -20 and -25 degrees. Here in Greece I like everything: the weather, the people, the food. I’m not a person who goes out often but I enjoy everything. Especially when my family is here, it gives me more peace of mind…”

How are you doing with the Greek language? You learn;

“I’m trying (laughs)! I have learned and use some phrases like “good morning”, “how are you”, “very good”! I recently learned another expression, “I’m in pieces” (laughs)! One day I felt so tired and I said to the coach: “How can I say in Greek that I am exhausted from fatigue?” and he replied how can I say that I am in pieces (laughs)! I think Greek is not an easy language for me, but I am trying to learn…”

And he concluded: “We are more ready than we were last season. I am convinced of that. Both competitively and mentally. All of us have learned things from what happened last season. I have a lot of faith in the team. We can achieve great things this year”