LIVE – PAOK-OM pre-match: “We know what to expect”, Mandanda warns

Without Arek Milik, who still hasn’t recovered from his selection injury in Poland, nor Gerson, Boubacar Kamara and Bamba Dieng, all three suspended for this return match in Thessaloniki, the Argentine coach and his staff have to think about it. According to our information, Amine Harit should join the attack with Cengiz Ünder and Dimitri Payet. The former Nantes, which is on fire against Montpellier in Ligue 1 (2-0) on Sunday, would replace Cédric Bakambu, holder in the first round.

The suspected composition of OM against PAOK (in 4-3-3)

Mandanda – Lirola, Saliba Caleta-Car, Luan Peres – Guendouzi, Gueye, Rongier – Under, Payet, Harit

“Every time I have a press conference, it’s nice to have a question about Sampaoli. His personality is atypical, authentic. He lives the matches with a lot of intensity. He lives the game, he lives the matches. He is very motivated to see the idea of ​​seeing OM discuss this match and qualify for the semi-finals, despite the difficulty of this match.”

“We haven’t done anything special in terms of atmosphere. We are preparing the game to be ready to play a football game on the field. We focus on the playing field, the field, prepare our tactics and we do don’t take care of the rest and the environment.”

“Indeed Milik did not make the journey, we also suspended some players. We are missing important players, but what came is also important. There is a lot of enthusiasm in the group and we really want to get a good result, we have a lot of motivation. There are six or seven youngsters who don’t even have one or two matches in the first division. And we will take up this challenge.”

“Milik still has the injury he sustained during his game with his team. The development is favorable, but the medical staff thought it was premature to play against him on Thursday, taking into account many criteria. We hope that he will return as soon as possible. will be.” possible, but I can’t tell you if he will be available on Sunday.”

“We had already analyzed PAOK before we encountered them. We must not emphasize one individuality more than another, otherwise we will insist on the collective strength of this team. It will be a difficult game. And the key to the game will be to to be able to impose your game strategy and tactics during the 90 minutes.”

“We are always very careful to have possession of the ball and to be the leading team in the game. We believe that our team should be an attacking team that can quickly recover the ball. I have always insisted on the ball and we didn’t change our training methods, we’ve always had the same game principles from the start.”

Jorge Desio, assistant coach, confirms the withdrawal of Milik, whose injury is progressing “favorably”. It remains to be seen if he will be available for Sunday’s clash against PSG. Duje Caleta-Car is very suitable to play against PAOK on Thursday.

“From the moment we play a competition, the idea is to go to the end. It doesn’t have the prestige of the Champions League or the Europa League, but we want to do everything we can to win this trophy.”

“We are going to play an important game, which will allow us to be in the semi-finals of a European Cup. We are going to play it as a very important game. Every club has its history.”

“I managed it calmly. There were moments that were easier to live with than others, but the most important thing remains the collective. We each have our personal affairs, but the most important is the purpose of the club.”

“It’s always a pleasure to be on the pitch, I’m happy to take what I get.”

“Normally we’ll make it, we’ve set ourselves a double target for the end of the season, we have to take the blows thoroughly, the No. 1 target is to qualify on Thursday, we have some time to prepare after that. at the game. Sunday.”

“Honestly, I never prepare what I’m going to say in the locker room, it depends on the moment, on how I feel about the present moment. We know what to expect in terms of the environment, we know it It is up to us to maintain what we are doing, to maintain this serenity in the use of the ball. We are aware of what lies ahead.”

“Obviously it’s not the ideal situation, but it allows us to rely on the collective, it also allows the absent to recover, we are a close-knit group, living well, everyone wants ‘to be together is the moment to show it’.”

Mandanda on the atmosphere to come against PAOK: “I’ve had a lot of matches with different atmospheres, tomorrow apparently it will be a very hot atmosphere, but we play football to have moments like that, it’s up to us to keep our composure so that we can keep our lead.”

Jorge Desio, assistant coach of OM, is expected in a few moments in a press conference with Steve Mandanda.

Arkadiusz Milik will not travel from Marseille to Greece for Thursday’s game. The Polish striker, who is not in the group against Montpellier on Sunday, has not yet recovered 100% from his injury sustained in the selection.

F. Germain

PAOK coach Lucescu at a press conference this Wednesday, translated in comments by Provence: “What I said was shocking to the French, but what the French fans did for two days was not shocking? We went to France for a match, accompanied by our supporters. What happened in Marseille is not my fault. The atmosphere will be strong in Toumba to put pressure on the Marseille players and I said it was better that the Marseille supporters didn’t come to prevent them saying “Something bad is going on. It is the Marseille fans who should be criticized, not me. We’re going to show everyone that we have very fervent supporters, without fighting.”

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Steve Mandanda is expected

Tension match next Thursday at 9 p.m., between PAOK Saloniki and OM, in the quarterfinals of the second leg of the Europa League Conference.