Verbits: “I respect Panathinaikos, the largest team in Greece – our best self against AEK”

The goal against Panathinaikos, from whom he cut two points, but today’s match against AEK was spoken to Nova by Levadiakos Ace Beniain Verbic.

‘Before I came to Greece I didn’t know how big Panathinaikos is in the country. Now I felt it for three years. For me it is still the largest team in Greece. And when I look back, this is my greatest regret: that we didn’t get the league, especially the first year, when I think we were the best league team“, Slovenian stressed.

In detail what he said:

You have now joined the team since January, and I have to start this interview with the last game. You scored a goal against Panathinaikos, your former team, and you deprived your old team. What emotions did you bring that moment? We saw that you didn’t celebrate the goal, but what exactly was in your mind and in your heart?

“Yes, we talked to some kids on the coach, they asked me what I would do if I scored, and I told them I wouldn’t celebrate, because I respect the team, the fans. That is, after all the situations I lived with with Panathinaikos, it was not the best, especially in the last six months, which I had not played, etc., there were many emotions. Of course I want to give my best to my new team while at the same time respecting Panathinaikos. That’s why I didn’t celebrate, but I did, I did my job. ”

So did you feel that you had something to prove?

“No, that’s over. I had a contract with Panathinaikos, it was resolved, I opened a new chapter in my life and this is now Levadiakos, I give 100%there. ”

Many Panathinaikos fans, when they saw you ready to get on the pitch, thought “Oh, it will score”. Did you feel the same?

“Yes, I felt good, I really wanted to play, because it was on the avenue, I love this stadium, the atmosphere, I remember terrible games there. It’s my favorite stadium in Greece, so I love playing there. I felt dangerous in the game, and the result was the goal. ”

How is your daily life in Levadiakos? What do you enjoy the most in the team?

“In the morning I wake up, I go to workout, I try to enjoy every day, to give the maximum, to restore, then a nice lunch with the teammates and maybe a coffee, fredo espresso, I love him, a ride and a home, the life of the professional football player,

Is life more calmer in Livadia and the region, instead of Athens?

“Yes, for sure. But I still go to Athens often, my son lives there, and that is one reason I stayed in Greece. So I have my son near me, I travel sometimes for a night or a day to see him, and that is my life. ”

Did you find yourself again with several of your former Panathinaikos teammates in your new team, this made the adjustment easier?

“Of course, it was much easier to join, I knew a lot of players. I had played with one of them and in Legia. We all kept in touch and when they left, so we became a team again. I think this year we have a very good, knit team and I hope for the best. ”

Now, for your new coach, Nikos Papadopoulos. What do you stand out in his work? What brings to the team, to the atmosphere, the locker room?

“I know him well and I feel that something good is happening to Levadiakos. We have been working together for four or five months now and I think he is a very good coach, with great quality in tactics. He adapts very well to the opponent, he knows when something to change, I think this is his biggest advantage. It also holds a positive atmosphere in training. Of course, it’s easier when good results come, so we trust him 100%. This is the most important, to have the full support of the team to give the maximum to you on the pitch. ”

From the present in the past. If we go back a bit, how do you see your period in Panathinaikos?

“Sometimes it’s hard to look back, but as time goes on, only good memories remain. Of course, it saddens me that we didn’t get the championship with Panathinaikos, because I think the world of Panathinaikos is already worth it, it’s been a long time. Before I came to Greece I didn’t know how big Panathinaikos is in the country. Now I felt it for three years. For me it is still the largest team in Greece. And when I look back, this is my biggest regret: we didn’t get the championship, especially in the first year, when I think we were the best team in the league. ”

What happened then in the match in Karaiskakis?

“Many players were sick in Karaiskakis’ match, but we went to play the game. If you can play, you have to play, you can’t change that. If you are there, you play 90 minutes. Unfortunately it didn’t go as we hoped. We still think about it and it’s sad, because we were so close. ”

Do you think you lost the championship only because of that match?

“No. We had an 8 -point lead in February, if I remember correctly. We should have done a better job before that match. It didn’t depend on the whole championship on the match in Karaiskakis. Of course, that game changed a lot in the mind, and we had more matches afterwards, but we didn’t just lose the championship for it. ”

What else do you remember?

“I remember the match with Ionic, I remember the match with Volos, these are already 4 points. If you want to get a championship, you have to win on bad days, even 1-0. So you get a championship. For example, Real Madrid wins many games even in her very bad days. ”

As a person, do you think you might have stayed more in Panathinaikos?

“After the first year we were all a little sad. We wanted to return the next with new power, to prove that we can get the championship. But we made too many changes, we changed two coaches, and in the end Mr. Kontis came. I wanted to stay in the last year of my contract on Tuesday, but when I came back from the Euro, some things changed. I never learned exactly what. Someone used to say one, the other. All I knew was that they didn’t let me participate in the team. I don’t understand why, since I wasn’t on the mission, and then I didn’t even workout with the team for six months. Of course, in the end the experience was difficult. But to prove that you belong to Panathinaikos … you can’t prove it anymore. This chapter is closed, you move on to your life. ”

And now, this chapter is closed, a new chapter opens with Levadiakos. What do you hope to succeed here and what do you want to show in the world by wearing the Levadiakos jersey?

“As you can see, we have a good team this year, we got a great team, and we won another match, we have four points, a good start to us. We want to go to play with a game, we don’t have a specific goal at the end of the season. But we certainly don’t just fight for the stay, I think we deserve higher. As I said, we go step by step and see what will bring the end of the season. ”

Playing with a game, and the next one is with AEK, another big team in front of you. More motivation? What are you waiting for?

“We play at home, good for us. It is also good that many AEK fans will come, the stadium will be filled. It is frustrating to play in front of 1,000–2,000 people. So it will be a great game, at 8pm, perfect conditions. We will give our best. AEK is a great team, with many good players, but we also have our plans. Difficult to play for us, but we don’t give up easily. ”

Difficult for them too?

“Hope! We will see, we will try the best, we will all give 100% and see the result. “