Lucescu: “In the third goal we conceded everything went wrong – I don’t know if it will affect this result”

The third goal conceded by PAOK was addressed by Razvan Lucescu at the press conference of the match against Malmo. The coach of Dikefalo of the North pointed out that everything went wrong in this phase, while to a question he received about whether this result will affect the team and the transfer planning, he answered that… he doesn’t know.

Razvan Lucescu’s statements in detail…



If he agrees that everything was decided in the last phase of regular time where Malmö equalized and the match went to extra time:



“I think that for 94 minutes we deserved to qualify. When you concede a goal in the last minute and in this way, you can tell that there is a lack of belief and confidence. We should have scored the fourth goal in the second half, but we didn’t and I believe we paid for our naivety. We were naive and paid for it. We should have finished the match with a fourth goal in the second half and we didn’t and we paid for it. In the first part, Malmö had a primary role. Malmo’s first goal cost us a lot and regardless of whether we managed to go to the dressing room first, in general we should have managed the match better. Malmo’s third goal made me feel really bad. Very bad. From the first to the last minute of that phase of the third goal, everything went wrong.”

On whether he thinks this exclusion can affect the team and the transfer planning:



“I don’t know and I can’t answer….”

For the continuation and the team’s attempt to advance to Europa:



“The responsibility of all of us is to balance in our minds. We have secured a European presence but we have to look at the two matches that decide the qualification to Europa which will be a further step. It is my responsibility and everyone at the club to have the players committed to the next matches. We have a whole season ahead of us. Let’s wake up tomorrow knowing how we have important games ahead of us.”

On whether he thinks that overall PAOK was better than Malmö:



“I think we had qualification in our hands and we lost it. From every point of view. Because when the ball is ours in the 95′ and we don’t send the ball into the other half… then you have qualification in your hands and you lose it.”

On whether PAOK could have had a better strategy in the delays of the normal duration of the match:



“I told you about the mistakes that were made. We could have handled their long balls better at the end in stoppage time. We were naive, I said it before…”

On whether he thinks that a possible presence of Samata could have given solutions to the team in the final and with the way he pressed in respective matches:



“When you get two players for the future of the team and the other one knows he’s out, how do you manage that?”