Olympiacos Piraeus

[tjbc]

Nikolaos Gaitanas

Who do you think it's our best player?

I don't really believe any are very good this season. I think Cardozo can be dangerous to us.

Markovic. He wil surprise you tomorrow.

LOL, I hope not!!! I hope he plays like last time in the swimming pool!

he didn't play. He was injured!

[Faliro]

ahh I am confusing him with another slav you had then. His name also ended in 'ic' - I thought he was a very weak player.

[tjbc]

ahh I am confusing him with another slav you had then. His name also ended in 'ic' - I thought he was a very weak player.

Matic?

Yes he's been playing very poorly this season...but he'not weak. I mean, he was our best player last season, he even won the prize of best player in the portuguese league 2012/2013.

[Faliro]

Yes, Matic! I thought he was very weak - i saw he was a big guy, but skills...weak. He was playing midfield and seemed disorientated. He is the player I hope plays the same. He was part of the reason in my opinion we could dominate the midfield for sections of the game before the rain.

I didn't know his history that he was good last season.

I know it may be obvious, but for me, the game will be won in the midfield tomorrow.

[Fever]

Roller hockey??  that made me laugh! Futsal is popular in spain too, but not soo much in Greece.

And yes I agree about the basketball. Greeks play an extremely tactical game. Spanoulis is everything good and everything bad about our basketball. Natural ability yet impatient and egotistic. We have many good players but at the moment a very stupid Italian coach.

What helps is Greeks are actually naturally quite big athletes so many are made to play basketball. When I went to Italy I was amazed how short most people are. It is not uncommon to see Greeks the size of Printezis sometimes in Athens.

Also yes, many of the Athens Olympic venues were neglected badly.. was ridiculous..

Not a joke. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpu5iEhkG1Q
It's really big in Catalunya too. Barcelona is the most sucessful club in the world.

I haven't followed very closely international basketball recently but yes, you've been away from the decisions too much.

I think the struggling serb Faliro is talking about was Djuricic.

Edit: Ok, Matic also been shit this season.

Tomorrow can be a turning point from Benfica this season. But most probably it will be a very boring game that will end in 1-0 or 2-0 to Olympiacos. We always struggle in those atmospheres. We lost away to a very weak Fenerbahçe when we were on top form last year so...

[JustMe]

As with most of our team, Matic has been playing very poorly since the beginning of this season, but make no mistake -- he truly is one of the best midfielders in European football right now. Seriously, go check out some of his best moments from last season, I'm sure you'll be quite surprised. I honestly still don't know how we managed to keep him.

As far as the game's concerned, I'm going to be honest: I don't expect us to win. Since the end of last season, we've been incredibly shitty and I don't think we've managed to make one decent game. You'll face a pretty "watered-down" version of us, no doubt about it.

If we had met last season, I'm pretty confident things would be quite different.

[Faliro]

Roller hockey??  that made me laugh! Futsal is popular in spain too, but not soo much in Greece.

And yes I agree about the basketball. Greeks play an extremely tactical game. Spanoulis is everything good and everything bad about our basketball. Natural ability yet impatient and egotistic. We have many good players but at the moment a very stupid Italian coach.

What helps is Greeks are actually naturally quite big athletes so many are made to play basketball. When I went to Italy I was amazed how short most people are. It is not uncommon to see Greeks the size of Printezis sometimes in Athens.

Also yes, many of the Athens Olympic venues were neglected badly.. was ridiculous..

Not a joke. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpu5iEhkG1Q
It's really big in Catalunya too. Barcelona is the most sucessful club in the world.

I haven't followed very closely international basketball recently but yes, you've been away from the decisions too much.

I think the struggling serb Faliro is talking about was Djuricic.

Edit: Ok, Matic also been shit this season.

Tomorrow can be a turning point from Benfica this season. But most probably it will be a very boring game that will end in 1-0 or 2-0 to Olympiacos. We always struggle in those atmospheres. We lost away to a very weak Fenerbahçe when we were on top form last year so...

I have never seen this sport before and so many fans for that game!! 

As for the game tomorrow - i can also see a very tough game. A lot will depend on the referee and the tactics of benfica. If Benfica go to win, I can see a high scoring game. If Benfica pack the midfield.. it will be tough.

So far we still don't know eachother's players because we have only played 45 minutes of football and 45 minutes of water polo.

[Fever]

Yup. Basically only Portugal, Spain, Italy and Argentina play it.

Yeah, ridiculous that the game wasn't postponed.
But it seems like waterpolo is our sport after all... that storm saved us one point 

[Vitor84]

Faliro what's your opinion about Leonardo Jardim? Why he was demissed last year when your team had a good advantage in championship?
He seems a good coach, this year in Sporting they are make a good season with the weakest squad in last years

[Faliro]

Simply, because Olympiacos fans expected more. When they didn't get it, they made sure Marinakis got rid of him. They have done this to many managers.

Why did Olympiacos fans expect more? Very simple. Olympiacos fans are not stupid. They know they have the most expensive squad in Greece - by far. They also know they have the best stadium and best training facilities and even the most fans. Winning the league is expected even if a monkey was in charge.  What they demand however as supporters is sexy football. They want goals and entertainment. They don't want us playing conservatively and scraping a 1-0 over Levadiakos for example. When this happens they destroy the manager in the stadium by booing all game and usually quite soon he either quits or Marinakis removes him. The same happened to Ketsbaia in 2009.

How come you in serres?

[Red.Fever]

Matic is a monster in the midfield
he had a terrible start this season, but carefull... he's starting to pick up the pace 
him and Enzo make a great duo in the midfield

but still
they're not at their best yet

[Andris]

hahahahahaha ^^^

Dangerous game to put money on and I would not risk it because I know Benfica are capable of causing problems. I honestly do not know who will win. My instinct tells me a draw is possible but I also believe either team is capable of damaging the other. I am not trying to be neutral, I am simply being honest. I have watched a lot of football in my life and the outcome of this game is not easy to predict, too many variables.

I think you'll win, unfortunately. I have no expectations for today so I can't imagine a victory for us.

But in Markovic and Cardozo I trust!

[Vitor84]

Simply, because Olympiacos fans expected more. When they didn't get it, they made sure Marinakis got rid of him. They have done this to many managers.

Why did Olympiacos fans expect more? Very simple. Olympiacos fans are not stupid. They know they have the most expensive squad in Greece - by far. They also know they have the best stadium and best training facilities and even the most fans. Winning the league is expected even if a monkey was in charge.  What they demand however as supporters is sexy football. They want goals and entertainment. They don't want us playing conservatively and scraping a 1-0 over Levadiakos for example. When this happens they destroy the manager in the stadium by booing all game and usually quite soon he either quits or Marinakis removes him. The same happened to Ketsbaia in 2009.

How come you in serres?

In Portugal had in press some rumors that he was demissed because he slept with president's wife
I understand you, he is not a coach for a atractive football. And for a team that is usual to win each year is nothing special. But was strange that they didn't wait until the end of season.

I am in Serres in a project of EVS (European Voluntary Service). It is something similar with Erasmus program, but is not for study and any young people can do it. In my case I'm working in a radio station, I participate in some broadcasts and we also participate in some campaingns and events in this city.
I am enjoying very much your country. Greeks and portugueses have a lot of things in common. And I already made some trips by the country (Tessaloniki, Khalkidhiki, Meteora, Ioannina and Athens) and I liked very much. It's a really beautifull country

[Faliro]

yes, a few olympiakos fans were confused why we did not wait till the end of the season, but once the fans of the stadium have spoken, gate 7, he was always going to go very fast. they are the ones who decide who goes and who stays. I think many people from other countries were confused because they saw Olympiakos top etc and he was losing no games.. but in Greece, the expectations of olympiakos are massive.

I am glad you are enjoying Greece, it is an extremely beautiful country and  I am sure you feel very at home there being from portugal - also a very beautiful land. Don't forget to visit the south, the Peloponnese where my ancestors are from, very very beautiful place. Pine forrests, snowy mountains etc

Which Greek team do you support?

[Andris]

Faliro, this is a little bit off-topic, but what is your opinion about the greek crisis?