Mendilibar: 'We must lift our heads' after Champions League exit

Olympiacos exited the Champions League after a painful 2-1 extra-time defeat to Nijmegen. Coach Jose Luis Mendilibar expressed his disappointment but urged his team to look ahead.

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It was a really difficult game. In the first half, we couldn't find our rhythm. In the second, we scored, and we thought we could maintain the situation. We conceded the equalizer on a play where we had doubts about whether it was offside. After the expulsion, we struggled to attack and had to defend, but we couldn't hold on.

"It was a really difficult game," Mendilibar said after the match. "In the first half, we couldn't find our rhythm. In the second, we scored, and we thought we could maintain the situation. We conceded the equalizer on a play where we had doubts about whether it was offside. After the expulsion, we struggled to attack and had to defend, but we couldn't hold on."

Mendilibar acknowledged the team's prior knowledge of their situation and the secured spot in the Europa League phase. "We knew before how the situation was, we won't go crazy right now," he stated. "We knew we had the chance to qualify for the Champions League, we didn't make it, but we knew we had the Europa League League Phase secured. We are focusing on the league, we will wait for the draw, and we will continue with the data we have."

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We knew before how the situation was, we won't go crazy right now. We knew we had the chance to qualify for the Champions League, we didn't make it, but we knew we had the Europa League League Phase secured. We are focusing on the league, we will wait for the draw, and we will continue with the data we have.

The coach also highlighted the challenges posed by the football transfer window, which extends into the early part of the season. "We live in an era in football where preparation doesn't help anyone," Mendilibar explained. "The players involved in the five weeks are few, as many leave and others are coming. Transfers end on September 11. We will have played 4-5 official games without knowing which players we can rely on. It's a general problem, but it hinders planning. We need to see who our players will be by then and what we can have."

“

We live in an era in football where preparation doesn't help anyone. The players involved in the five weeks are few, as many leave and others are coming. Transfers end on September 11. We will have played 4-5 official games without knowing which players we can rely on. It's a general problem, but it hinders planning. We need to see who our players will be by then and what we can have.

Despite the setback, Mendilibar's message to his players was one of resilience. "We were left with one less player, we made our effort, we must not lower our heads, we must regroup because the league starts very quickly," he concluded.

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We were left with one less player, we made our effort, we must not lower our heads, we must regroup because the league starts very quickly.