Galery

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Disappointment is the most common word in the Greek media after last night’s match between PAOK Thessaloniki in Baku and the local Gabala that ended in a draw. As expected, sports reporters focus on the performance of Bulgarian football star Dimitar Berbatov, who started the match as a reserve player and entered the field in the 59th minute to replace central striker Klaus Athanasiadis.

     Berbatov drowned in shallow waters," Skai TV states and Kathimerini newspaper reads, "Dimitar Berbatov competed for half an hour but did not get passes from his teammates to threaten Gabala’s goal. Igor Tudor included him in the match to provide more opportunities for attacks. Upon touching the ball for the first time the Bulgarian led Mak to the left, the Slovak shot while running but failed." The newspaper believes that from this point on PAOK failed to take advantage of Berbatov, since neither Pelkas, nor Rodriguez and Golasa, who came off the bench, were able to find the correct ways to pass the ball to the Bulgarian.

     "It was not Athanasiadis’ night and Tudor was right to replace him with Berbatov but we did not see much even from the Bulgarian," reads the newspaper Naftemporiki. The position of the newspaper Ta Nea is quite different, "Having entered the field Berbatov tried to put order into the offensive lack of discipline of his teammates. With his simple game he managed to put some order, but Pelkas continued with his inglorious single combats and Mak was missing from the key positions."
    The online edition contra.gr defines as "magical" Berbatov’s pass to Mak and at the press conference after the match coach Igor Tudor admitted that Berbatov had brought positive things into the game of PAOK.

   Dimitar Berbatov was unable to hide his disappointment with the game of his team. After the match he quickly went to the changing rooms, took a quick shower and was the first of his teammates to go outside. inpaok.com reports that the great Bulgarian football star refused to make statements to the Azerbaijani journalists who were waiting for him outside and was the first to board the team bus. He stayed there alone for a long time before his teammates followed him and the bus left the stadium.
    PAOK will play its next match at 8:30 pm on Wednesday, 23 September. The team of Thessaloniki will host a controversial match with AEK Athens at Tumba stadium. It is not yet clear whether Dimitar Berbatov will be titular or if he will wait for Tudor’s decisions on the bench again.