Brignoli: “Panathinaikos is my priority, I understand the decision to close the stadiums”

Alberto Brignoli gave a full interview to “Tuttomercatoweb”, regarding the latest developments in Greek football and the Government’s decisions to close the stadiums.

Of course, the Italian goalkeeper referred both to his presence at Panathinaikos, which he described as successful, and to his future, showing tendencies to stay in the “cloverleaf”!

What Brignoli said in detail on the Italian website:

For the Government’s measures to close the stadiums and if he himself has felt any danger: “It is a drastic measure, which causes reactions. But I can understand it. After incidents that occurred at a volleyball match, the Police refused to perform their duty. The police officers did not feel safe. Undoubtedly in football it causes damage. But from a human point of view, I think it is the right decision, because incidents happened and are happening, which unfortunately disturb the normality of people. The State” is trying to suppress the problem with strict methods, not only in football. Two months ago, Panathinaikos played Olympiakos and a spectator threw a firecracker and my teammate, Juancar, ended up in the hospital. More recently, during Volos – Olympiacos, fans invaded the field and the referee was threatened. Last weekend, the match did not take place because the referees were away, because they don’t feel safe.”

On whether the decision to close the stands affects the players financially: “No, in that respect no. It is something that is not up to us. Unfortunately on a financial level the club has already suffered damage in the Europa League: after the first two matches we played at the Olympic Stadium, the stadium was closed and we went to “Ap.Nikolaidis”. And from a facility with 60,000 seats we went to one with 20,000 seats, losing a lot of revenue.”

For his presence at Panathinaikos: “The sign of my presence is positive. It is an experience that has helped me develop my culture and if I could go back in time, I would have made this decision earlier. We often have the impression that in Italy everything is perfect and that to achieve our goals, we have only one way. Choosing to transfer abroad, however, can prove highly beneficial if you choose the right team. I played in European competitions, I won the Greek Cup, we are in first place and we are claiming titles. If I had lived in Italy, I would have denied myself these distinctions. To play in the Europa League you have to become much better, it’s a more competitive competition.”

For his future: “I enjoy life in Athens, it is a beautiful city, with culture and a wonderful sea front. My priority is Panathinaikos, I want to continue developing in their shirt. For now, I am concentrating on the obligations, June 30, 2024 is a long way off.”