The head coach of the Cypriot AEK, Jose Luis Oltra, said what he thinks about the second leg of his team with Dnipro-1 in the 1/16 finals of the Conference League, which will be held today in Kosice. Recall that the first meeting of the opponents ended with the defeat of Dnipro with a score of 0:1.
“Very important game. First of all, it will be important for us, for the people who came to support us, and for the whole of Cyprus. Our opponent is a good team that plays very balanced and the upcoming match requires us to play to the maximum, because this is a battle consisting of 180 minutes - now we are only halfway there.
Looking forward to a very intense game. We must play tight on defense, not make mistakes, because this is very important. But we must think not only about defense, but also to act successfully in attack. We can score goals, why not? We will try to play more attacking football. Now we are winning after the first match with a score of 1:0, but in the course of the upcoming match, everything can change. We have a good team, we play well in defense, I like the way the pressure is applied, but we have a very serious opponent in the face of Dnipro-1 - an excellent team with highly qualified masters. Therefore, I want everyone to enjoy the game - both fans and players.
To achieve a positive result, we need to play confidently, act consciously. But at the same time, I want to note that we should not take risks and should find a balance between attack and defense, because we remember that now we are leading in the score and Dnipro-1 needs to score. We will need to realize our moments. We will not sit on the defensive, but will try to create our own chances and convert them. We have a strong team with wonderful performers, and it will be difficult for us.
As for the odds, even though we won the first game, I don't think we have any advantage because it will be a new game and a new day. I think that the chances of passing are 50/50. Due to the war in Ukraine, we play in Kosice, and not in Dnipro, where the opponent, of course, would have a completely different support, but fans will still come to the stadium who will cheer for Dnipro," Oltra said at a pre-match press conference.