Lucescu: “It’s not forbidden to have a dream – I enjoy every game”

In the right balance as a team, but also the mental freshness that will allow the PAOK to cope with the consecutive games inside and outside Greece, said o Razvan Lucescu.

The Romanian coach, at the press conference ahead of the away game against Galata, did not want to mention his team’s goals, but emphasized that it is not forbidden to have a dream without naming it.

On whether he allows himself to enjoy the team’s presence in the Europa League: “I enjoy every game in front of me. I enjoyed it on Saturday, I enjoyed it last time. I enjoy every single game. That’s how I’m made. You know we have to fight tomorrow, but it’s a process I’m going to enjoy.”

On whether he has set a goal for the team for the tournament: “You know me very well, as do the players. I’m not talking about goals. We will give everything tomorrow against Galatasaray, and then forget about this game to focus on the next one. This is how I am made, this is what we want to communicate to the footballers. We’ve faced similar situations, we’ve reached the Conference League Eight twice and we can handle Wednesday-Sunday games. In any case, it is not forbidden to have a dream, but I am not the person who will tell you what he dreams about after two or three months.”

On whether he asked his footballers who have played in Turkey for Galatasaray: “I don’t think it’s necessary to talk to the players. We are football people and we always get information about a team. We follow and know the Turkish league, we know Galatasaray and the quality it has, just like the other top teams in Turkey.”

Regarding the management that PAOK has to do this year, given that the level of opponents in the Europa League is rising, compared to the Conference League: “Every game has its own difficulty, it doesn’t matter who you’re up against. You have to watch out, whether it’s a European game or a domestic game, it has different things to watch out for. An important part is the motivation a football player can have, it is difficult to convince the football player to give his all when you are fighting for the championship against a team that is low in the standings, as it is easier to do that for games like tomorrow.

Our goal is game by game, so we need to find balance and the mental freshness to do that. The third element is the participation that the footballers have in this process. Most people should be in the flow of the group and be active, so that the internal competition rises and the group improves even more. These are the elements we must have in order to have a successful season and enjoy it as much as the last. There are some tactical elements, footballers, what fits depending on the opponent, but these concern us internally”.

On what will be decided tomorrow’s game between the pioneers of Greece and Turkey, and what he himself expects: “It will be judged by each factor. The start of the game is important, the tactical plan and individual actions will be important. Every minute is important, the players who will come off the bench, but let’s not forget the individual efforts. Self-belief and the will to fight will also determine the final result.”

On the prevailing feeling in Turkey that Galatasaray excels, but also the respect shown to him and his team: “I think from one perspective it makes sense that they feel they are superior. They are a quality team that has started very well. On the other hand, when the conversation comes to us, things are different. We exude a respect for what we have achieved, and that makes sense.”

If Vieirania has mentioned anything to the rest of the team about the historic qualification against Fenerbahce 14 years ago: “These are beautiful stories for you, the media and the world, remember. For us it makes no sense to think about the past. It suits us game by game, then forget and move on. There is no greater motivation for us than to be here.”