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It was an intense summer for you. What exactly happened to the proposals you had and how did you decide to renew your contract with Panathinaikos?
“It was a … crazy summer to be honest. There were a lot of arguments and a lot of scenarios. Some really, some not. Every week something different was happening and it was definitely strange. At the end of the day, I knew there was a prospect of leaving, but inside. “I always wanted to stay. They all thought I was going to go. To set an example on the street, people stopped me and asked me not to leave. They were sure that I would go. I knew in my heart that I would stay at the club. ”
You had some very good economic proposals that other players would not reject. What were the criteria with which you decided to stay at Panathinaikos?
“To be fair I accepted offers that I would not have otherwise rejected. But from the moment I had the opportunity to stay at Panathinaikos, I decided to renew my contract. I like the project, I like the team and I feel important. All of them. make a difference. In the final we played football to be remembered. The motivation is still there and I know I can do even better. We all know that for some players it is not just money. For me money is second, “My desire to staying is something that makes me want to try even harder to achieve something even better with the team. ”
You feel comfortable in the team. Did something happen that made you feel so close to your colleagues, to feel at home?
“Yes, this is probably the first time in my career that I have felt this way. When you find a place where you feel this way, where you feel the love of the world, your teammates and the people on the team who trust you, it’s wrong to leave.” The main reason I chose to stay here. At the end of the day, I have no regrets because I am where I want to be and that is important to me. ”
Did your family agree with the decision you made?
“My family is always by my side in whatever decision I make. They are happy with the decision I made.”
So a new period begins for you with a new contract. Do you feel that now you will have greater responsibilities?
“I work every day to improve and the motivation makes the difference. And my motivation is very high. I want to get to an even better level. And one of the reasons why I stayed here is because I want to see the progress of the club and” I’m going in the right direction. And if I am part of that progress, it will be something I am proud of. I feel responsible and under pressure, but I know what I can do. And I’m sure things will turn out the way we want. “
In his first season in the team he scored 11 goals, in the second 15. This year?
“This year I will try to score more goals. Every year you work to improve. On my part there is the desire and the expectation to do even better than last season. I think I can achieve it with hard work.”
Last year he spoke with the children at the Academy and referred to some mistakes he made in his career. Do you feel that during these two years at Panathinaikos, you have restored order to the flow of your career?
“When you get to a point in your career and you see that things didn’t turn out the way you expected, you have to look at yourself. Ask him what went wrong. I did that and here I found the perfect environment to reboot. “Things are going well, but I think the club has not seen the real me yet. I feel that I can do even better. Now that I am much calmer, knowing that I will stay here and given that this season we will have a better team.” “I think we can achieve a lot. And I’m looking forward to it.”
What has been your best moment in Panathinaikos so far?
“We had good times. Every day I see great people, people who care about me. This is great. It’s like a family and this is fantastic. In terms of games, last year we played two home games that left their mark on us. this season, against AEK and against PAOK. They were probably our two best games of the season. In them I felt what it means to play for Panathinaikos. I saw a team that never gives up. I saw people being there even when you lose . “It’s a great feeling. When you win, it’s like being rewarded for your effort. That must be understood by all footballers. I feel lucky to be here. ”
And the moment you want to erase from your memory?
“There are some ‘casualties’ to be fair. Losses in derbies, we don’t like to lose, especially derbies. Cup exclusions. I think it was two difficult seasons but we learned a lot. The reason I stayed here is because I want to.” year to remember. For me and for the team. I think that if we all work in this direction, we will succeed. “
His son is 3.5 years old. How would you describe your experience at Panathinaikos in a few years?
“I can tell you how the story will begin. I cannot tell you what will happen next. I will let you understand the values of this team and I will definitely have a lot to tell you about continuing my course at Panathinaikos because you have a lot to come and I am looking forward to it.”
PHOTO CREDITS: PRESS RELEASE PRESS
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