Jorge Sampaoli after OM’s victory over PAOK Salonika: “We could practically have qualified today”

“Are you frustrated by the result of this match (2-1), especially after the first period, which you have mastered so much?
Yes, because the difference is minimal on arrival. We could have almost qualified today (Thursday), given the difference in level between the two teams. But you have to value the victory and think about the meeting against Montpellier on Sunday.

Two players took avoidable cards at the end of the match (Boubacar Kamara and Gerson) and will be suspended upon return to Greece…
It’s not easy not to be able to count on everyone for this meeting. It will be necessary to count on the players available. But I find that a team like mine, which offers so much play, receives too many yellow cards compared to what it deserves. Now we have to prepare for Montpellier.

“Payet’s goal is the first time I’ve seen that”

Your counterpart, Radzvan Lucescu, said he hoped OM would be received as they had been…
it’s going to be a difficult match, against an opponent who is still alive, despite this first leg where we dominated so much. Their audience will cheer them on, that’s for sure. But it will be necessary to cool this atmosphere through the game.

Have you ever seen in your career, from the bench, a goal like that of Dimitri Payet?
This type of goal, of this level, live, it’s the first time I’ve seen it. »

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