Galery

2

1

The draw has faced the French champion Bordeaux against the Greek side of Olympiacos in the first elimination stage of the Champions League. The first game will take place on the 23^rd of February at the Karaiskaki Stadium in Piraeus. Both teams have been reportedly happy with the draw. Bordeaux is content to face Olympiakos and President Jean Louis Triaud believes the teams are lucky to have each other as opponents and not stronger teams.

Coach Laurent Blanc holds a similar belief sharing Bordeaux’s desire to avoid bigger teams like Inter and Milan.

Jean Louis Triaud and Laurent Blanc are taking Olympiacos seriously due to the team’s constant participation in the Champions League. Alou Diara on the other hand believes that although not the strongest in the eliminations the team in there for a reason.

Diara defines the forthcoming game as “hot” given the enthusiasm of Olympiacos’ fans. The Bordeaux team has some really good players, among which Gorkif whom Bordeaux bought from Milan for €15m.

Olympiacos doe not complain from the draw either. The team was hoping to avoid stronger opponents as well. The players are enthusiastic and optimistic about the upcoming games. Avraam Papadopoulos believes it’s high time that Bordeaux lost. During the first game Olympiacos will aim to score without letting Bordeaux do. The player Zairi defined Bordeaux as a strong team but lacking experience in the Champions League.

For Panathinaikos, the draw chose to meet with Roma. De Rossi, Batistuta, Vučinić, and Perrotta are only a few of the big names in the team and the captain Francesco Totti’s name is emblematic. The “greens” are optimistic about the games despite the serious opponent. The forward Sise believes Panathinaikos- Roma games will be “extraordinary.” The team hopes to make it ahead and is ready to give its best for that.

More consisely, Nikos Nioplias and deputy Krzysztof Warzycha called the draw satisfactory. Warzycha says it is not a hard draw since both teams are of the same level and probability to win and go ahead is similar for the two.