Lucescu: “We played good football and everything was perfect”

Razvan Lucescu emphasized that PAOK came out strong against AEL and kept the right balance in the second half, he focused on the improvement of Bianco’s performance and the correct management of the players according to the matches and the young Mythos and Berdos, he asked for a fighter’s mentality in every match and made it clear that Pavlenka was not ready to compete.

In detail:

On whether he has any complaints from the match: “No. it was a perfect afternoon for us. We entered very well, we played very good football, we were winning 4-0. We kept balance in the replay, we were able to put several players on, others to rest. Let’s finish the game on a good level mentally to move on to a difficult week that is coming, starting with the game in Serres which gives three points. When I say perfect, I mean in the way we managed the complicated situations we had.”

For Bianco: “His most important minutes were in Lille. This is the process of improving the team, its inclusion. The mechanism I have created in the customization of each player within the team. He’s been through it. He is gradually getting into some games and is doing quite well at it. Important games like this where there is not so much pressure. Very good and dynamic player. He’s getting to the level of being considered a starter. It is essential to understand that it is important when the player comes in both for him and for the team. Alessandro is on a very good path.”

On whether the team is the way he wanted it to be at the rotation level for October? “I don’t think of the rotation and the number of changes as a number. I think I’ll manage one or two or three games. We try to see at every moment what is best for the team. From one game to another we can have a strategy and change some things. It has to do with how much confidence each player and the team has.

This number gets bigger gradually and the group gets more and more confident. For me it’s different. I am satisfied with the performance and how he closes each match separately. The number of active players is growing and I am satisfied. I’ll keep that in mind for the next game. The “freshness” factor is very important. In the next games we may reduce the roster according to the needs of the match. The possibility of opening the rotation gives us this “freshness”. It is a combination of “freshness” and confidence. It’s also important to do it when something needs to be done.”

For Mythos and Bird: “They are very young. Mythos is smart, he has the ability to ‘read’ the game one level further. We have to push him to be more aggressive, to run more. A player with excellent characteristics, he has quality. I am very pleased with his performance and he is an option for future games.

Bird is even smaller. It needs more time and patience. He has quality and talent. To work with him to have more balance and better decisions. To adapt to the group. Careful management in both. Both need to be cool and calm because they are developing and improving their game.”

For the fighter mentality: “This is what the team needs. That should be our mindset. We work for her throughout the group. This stems from the daily work in training. We have to go into every match with the same will.”

For Pavlenka: “Pavlenka was not ready to compete.”