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It was undoubtedly a match with special conditions for the time it took place, but also due to the peculiarity of the two gladiators fighting with the rest of the rosters last year. Pedro Martins had to remove hares from his hat and count the beans correctly. His job was not easy.
He had to choose not only the correct faces to present the best possible eleven, but also to assemble the whole, to highlight the virtues and “hide” the weaknesses.
He did both very well. Such that Olympiacos arrive at the goal, without impressing, but also without being particularly threatened. With a clear and intelligent plan that left the ball to AEK, but without empty spaces to play. Incredibly, the Portuguese manager managed not only to make functional players in such a game with little or no experience, like Tzolakis and Bruno, but also to protect them from exposure, through general work.
In my eyes, Pedro Martins was more than an architect and the great protagonist of another success, because exactly what we saw last night in the final by Olympiacos, he took it from his own block.
Their choice was for Olympiacos to play cynically, to take advantage of empty spaces, to push low to steal balls, to fill both bands of fresh legs, to come out of space and hit the back of the opposing defense. Here the club redeemed once again its decision to support the coaching team for the third year in a row, as it is clearly valid and it seemed that “what the householder knows, not everyone knows.”
But let’s go to see the other little “rojiblancas” stories, but also their protagonists that led to the conquest of the 28th Cup by Olympiacos:
1. Konstantinos Tzolakis: The 17-year-old goalkeeper put his signature wide by winning the Cup as he was called upon to defend the Olympiacos home in the two toughest matches of the tournament. With PAOK in Toumba (3-2) and in the final yesterday. where the injured Sa, Allen, was missing, while the newly acquired Christinson was not eligible to participate. In these two matches in which the ball was on fire and with opponents of some of the most capable forwards playing in our country, the 1.93 height of the Cretan goalkeeper demonstrated not only his qualifications, but also his mental reserves.
Although he did not avoid the error in the 8th minute, which was “saved” by Ba in the last second, the rest of the time he was calm, very stable, with the right attitudes, confident in his operations. Having played just 13 minutes in the league as a change in the away game with Aris, the young goalkeeper will have to tell his grandchildren and of course, after such a baptism of fire, the future belongs to him by right.
2. Bruno: At 26, the Brazilian winger came out of nowhere to fill the position of right-back and responded perfectly to an almost unknown role. A few days before, they took place and took the stages for their departure from the Rentis facilities, with a more likely destination in Thessaloniki and Aris. Pedro Martins had tried in the position left by the departure of Elabdellaoui and Rangelovic and Masoura, but in the end he preferred the former Atromitos player. Having played just seven league games this year, he has done well and has ideas to stay on the roster, not only as a solution for offensive wingers, but also behind compatriot Rafinias for the right winger of defense. Try it and … he knows and can.
3. Vassilis Torosidis: It was a common secret between the PAE offices and the Renti sports center that the 35-year-old “Bull” had decided to hang up his shoes. He had entrusted it to the president, the administration, his colleagues, but he did not do it while the team needed it. In the final, he had to play as a left-back, a position he successfully held several times in the years of his glorious career, despite being right-handed. He responded well, played for about 80 minutes and then raised the glass that Vangelis Marinakis handed him, in a gesture of recognition and respect. Now he hangs up his shoes after 221 games with the rojiblancos, to offer the team from another position, equally crucial.
4. Lazar Radzelovic: Pedro Martins preferred that he play against Bruno with a clear order to double him in the marking of the opponents and in the attack to take advantage of the space, betting on his impressive outburst. At 23, as strong as he was on the season (two goals in the tie against Krasnodar), he closed it off equally impressively, a year later. The final in which he was named MVP as well as “golden” scorer, was his 31st match in a season that will be unforgettable.
5. Mandi Kamara: The international midfielder from Guinea was invited together with Andreas Bouchalakis to play for … Guillerme. For those who haven’t noticed, the 23-year-old midfielder is making impressive appearances against AEK this year. Whenever he meets her on his way, he leaves! It is no coincidence that in the four previous games, this year, against the ‘yellow-blacks’, he scored three goals, while in the final he gave the assist to Ranzelovic, which basically meant the winning goal and the conquest of the trophy.
6. Mathieu Valbouena: He reentered the field with the appetite of a teenager. He pressed every inch of the field. He fought, “fought”, led the effort for another drink. With the whistle at the end he did it like a little boy. He hugged the trophy like crazy, took it in his hands and made a movement to … go with him, he celebrated it – in his 36 years – as if it were the first cup of his career! With the “general” in such a – furious – situation at the start of the season, Olympiacos have to win a lot this year too …
Photo credits: Eurokinissi
READ ALSO:
Pantelis Diamantopoulos: Cobra Cup
AEK 0-1 Olympiacos: Red Domination
Olympiacos: Torosidis leaves the action
Olympiacos: The delivery of the Cup and the celebrations for the double
Torosidis “broke” in front of the camera announcing his farewell
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