Friday, November 22, 2024

‘We want to give Rangers a hard time’ – Mendilibar

Must read

Jose Luis Mendilibar guided Olympiakos to Conference League glory in May [Getty Images]

Jose Luis Mendilibar is urging his Olympiakos side to “pile the pressure up high” against Rangers on Thursday.

The Greek outfit, who are reigning Conference League champions, have six points from nine in the revamped Europa League so far, the same tally as the Ibrox club.

Though Mendilibar, who also led Sevilla to victory in the 2023 Europa League, said his side will not shift from their style.

“The truth is we have a specific idea of how to play, a specific style. This doesn’t change depending on the opponent we have to face,” he said through an interpreter.

“Tomorrow, we’re going to have a different opponent, of course, and we will try to play the same way, add some pressure high on them, and we’ll try to be close to their goal.

“But we know very well, Rangers is a team that plays a lot with through balls and vertical football, as we say, which means that most likely it will be a bit more difficult for us to go close to their goal and put some pressure on that.

“The important thing is that we pile that pressure up high and give them a hard time. We have seen the opponent, we have analysed them.

“It is true that we have something in common, which is that in the European competition they have played against two teams that we have also played, Malmo and Lyon.

“The results have been quite similar. We have won one and lost the other, both teams. We know that it will be a very even match.

“We have the same wins, we have the same points. Both teams are here to win the match.”

Latest article