Almeida: “We felt pain for the exclusion – Only united we will overcome it”

Pleased with the reaction that the AEK stated the Matias Almeida after the 3-0 over OFI stressing that the only way to overcome the blockade is to come together and unite.

“It is important that we scored quick goals. Then we were able to take control, we were aggressive and we definitely learned from the tough times we had. Time doesn’t turn back, we have to accept the relegation and as I said to the players the league starts and we have to be good as this team is used to be”he initially reported.

Asked where he attributes the transformation of AEK compared to Thursday and whether pressure played a role, he replied:I think it was a game that we played very badly and in the replay we won, but our victory did not come. What I stand out is the reaction of the footballers, because we all felt pain that we could not qualify. The start to the league was good and now we will have whole weeks to work, the way of working will be different and we will help the new players to adapt. Today we showed our own style, in the previous games we only showed this thing in some moments. It was a very beautiful game».

As for whether his team overcame elimination and whether the crowd’s absence may have taken the strain off the players: “I believe we have found our psychological peace. If we hadn’t won, probably the questions would have been different, but I always look at the bright side. We became AEK again as you usually see us. If it hadn’t been for COVID, my father would be alive. I can’t change it, just like I can’t change the block. Now we look at the championship, with the pain caused by the European exclusion. We will not talk every day about the European elimination, now we are looking at the championship. We had to win today for a lot of reasons, but I’m mainly holding on to the way we won. As for the absence of the crowd, we always want to play to a full stadium, because it always supports us. The reaction people had after the elimination was an expression that they were not happy, just like we weren’t. The only way to overcome this is to be united, as we have been for two years. I have received many calls from the management before the game and I felt the love, to feel and know that I am not alone, that we are not alone. AEK is a whole, it is neither my name nor anyone else’s. He is above all the coaches and players. It has its own story. Before the game, I said that we have to rally the people, their presence is very important for the energy in the stadium and I always prefer the stadium to be full, because they always support us».

Referring to Pineda’s presence and Eliasson’s absence, he said:Everyone came back and was at the level we are used to seeing. Eliasson had a discomfort yesterday, before practice, behind the knee. After an action in the last game, his leg got a little stuck. I will try to put the players who are at 100%, because there are many of us and I will keep in mind to use whoever is in the best condition. There were players who were tired, I was thinking about how we would progress in Europe and I had planned the game differently with the changes you saw, so I had to keep my word and use a lot of players. We work as a team».