Cisse: “Rennes should be prepared for a lot of pressure from the warm-up”

Statements about the game of Panathinaikos with Wren (26/10), for the group stage of the Europa League, granted to a French Medium o Jibril Cisse.

The former top scorer of the “greens” spoke so much about the difficulties which the Brittany team will face in the upcoming match, but also for the years he was in Athens on behalf of the “clover”.

In detail what he said:

What memories do you have of your two seasons in Athens?

“I had a great time. The relationship with the fans was very strong. I scored over 50 goals during my time there. When I got there, the goal was to win titles, which we did in 2010 by winning the league and the Greek Cup.”

There was a lot of pressure when you went…

“When you come as a goalscorer, when the transfer is important and when you are a France international, the pressure is obviously high. You have to prove your worth quickly, because the fans are waiting for you, it’s like that everywhere. People want results, so you have to get used to the country, the culture and your teammates quickly. It didn’t take me long to integrate. I had a great reception at the airport with several thousand fans. When I arrived, I hadn’t signed yet. I came to see the club and facilities and see if I like the project. When I saw all these people, I quickly made my decision.”



Warm support is one of the hallmarks of the Greek league…

“In Greece with Panathinaikos, PAOK, Olympiakos, Aris… There is a terrible atmosphere, for which you must be prepared. With their stadium and their fans, Panathinaikos can do many things. Marseille played a good game there, but the crowd pushed them. Ren should be prepared for a crazy atmosphere because it always is. The match was originally scheduled to be held at the Olympic Stadium, but at the actual Panathinaikos stadium the stands are closer to the pitch, so the atmosphere will be even hotter.”

What could be the key to this match?

“Panathinaikos has many international players and is used to high-risk matches. It will be a tough game for Rennes. That’s where experienced players like Steve Mandada or Nemanja Matic are needed to calm things down and not fall into the trap of getting irritated and provocative. With Panathinaikos, we played against Roma and their quality players, whom we eliminated in the Europa League. Despite their experience, they couldn’t keep their cool. You should really be prepared for a lot of pressure from the warm-up itself.”