This was the 'key' to PAOK's victory over Olympiacos, according to Lucescu

In a hard-fought encounter, PAOK has emerged victorious against rivals Olympiacos, a win that coach Răzvan Lucescu believes was pivotal in regaining the team's shattered confidence. Lucescu pointed to the second half as the period where PAOK truly asserted control, displaying renewed energy and self-assurance.

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It was a balanced game in the first half, perhaps Olympiacos had a little more control, we managed to score and instead of properly evaluating some situations as we should have, the equalizer came.

"We entered the second half with much more energy and confidence," Lucescu stated, emphasizing that scoring twice and maintaining control of the game were crucial. He specifically lauded a critical save by his goalkeeper when the score was delicately poised at 2-1, calling it "one of the key moments of the match."

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In the second half, we came in with much more energy and confidence, we managed to score two goals, we had control of the game and a very important save from our goalkeeper, when the score was still 2-1. I think that was one of the key moments of the match.

This victory comes after a challenging spell for PAOK, plagued by injuries that have hampered the squad since February. Lucescu acknowledged the team's resilience, noting that even players returning from injury are not yet at peak fitness. Despite these setbacks, he praised the team's ability to produce moments of high-quality football and react positively in difficult situations. The coach reflected on the season's disappointments, including the loss of the Cup, but stressed the importance of fighting back. He also noted the team's strong European campaign, despite facing strong opponents like Lyon and Celta Vigo with a depleted squad, underscoring the complexity of the season and the team's determination to finish strong.

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It's a harsh disappointment how the year went. We played good football, we showed top quality. All that broke and this situation came very strangely for us. It hurt us, but the most important thing is to show a reaction in the most difficult situation.