PAOK beats Galatasaray and prepares for play-in

PAOK ready for second place. The “two-headed” hosts Galatasaray at 19:30 in Pylaia for the sixth and last matchday of the seventh group of the BCL and with a win or even a loss of up to -10 secures the second place, behind the already first Hapoel Jerusalem, after 88- 77 in Istanbul in the premiere of the competition, which means that the “black and white” will face with a home advantage but from Dertona or Tofas Bursa from the eighth group in the play-in for the qualification to the “16” next month.

Fotis Takianos referred to this particular match. “Our course, the name of the team we are in and the fact that we are playing in our stadium, oblige us to look only at the case of victory. The game has a high degree of difficulty. Galatasaray made three additions of a higher level and quality than they had. The game takes on a special importance because the second place in the group will be decided. There are many things at stake through this game.

Our preparation has had some difficulties, but we will prepare a plan with which we will try to impose our tempo, stop the productivity of the very skilled players of the opponent to enable our performance to conquer something that we have opened step by step along the way us”.

Comparing this game with the first round match in Istanbul, Mr. Takianos said: “I can’t say it’s a driver, but it’s also a completely different game. Galatasaray, however, is not the same team. He made very quality and experienced additions, his quality is higher than in the first round. Of course, he has lost Martin, also a very good player, but at the moment, Galatasaray’s potential comes second. First and foremost is how we will look.

We should be inspired by what this game gives PAOK, above all. Let’s gain strength and be able to be the way we need to be to be able to face any Galatasaray that appears on the field”.

Referring to the decision to keep Justin Alston until the end of the season, the PAOK coach said: “It was discussed with the management and it was a direct reaction of the team president to what we decided to be stronger competitively. To “seal”, that is, the stay of Alston and, with the return of McNeace, the team to present itself, not immediately, stronger. It was a purely management decision.

These kinds of moves for PAOK require a financial ‘sacrifice’, which was made and we hope that we will present ourselves on our front line stronger. We will have seven players, we will have to use six again, but the whole process will be in our favor. As for McNeace, I am informed that at the beginning of the new year he will be with us.”