AZ striker Vangelis Pavlidis thinks that his team will have an even harder time at home on Thursday than more than a week ago in Rome against Lazio. The Alkmaarders then booked a surprising 1-2 victory in the first leg of the eighth finals.
“I think it will be more difficult than then,” says Pavlidis. “It doesn’t really mean anything that we won there. Also because those two away goals are no longer an advantage. Moreover, they now know our qualities. “We don’t play home purely for the result. We like to attack, so we will do that tomorrow night.”
Pavlidis, who scored the first AZ goal in Rome, knows that the spicy derby against AS Roma awaits Lazio next weekend. “But they will not come here just to visit the Netherlands. They will come here to win the game.”
Coach Pascal Jansen mainly used the preparation for the match to point out the first twenty minutes of the first leg in Rome in which AZ was overrun by Lazio. “We talked a lot there,” says Jansen. “Because we give away the first chance because of a ball that we easily lose.”
According to Jansen, underestimation would be very far-fetched after the 2-1 victory in the first leg. “We still have a whole game to play, so nothing has been decided yet. We are following the same guidelines as we go into all competitions and we are prepared for all scenarios.”
Just before the start of the press moment in Alkmaar, AZ Under 19 won the Youth League match against Real Madrid 4-0, including a goal from Mexx Meerdink, who made his debut against Lazio last week. That made both Pavlidis and Jansen proud.
Jansen: ,,In the previous round they already won by big numbers against Barcelona. Yes, I really think it is one of the best youth teams in Europe. Several players train with us. By playing such matches as against Real Madrid and in the first division with Young AZ, they get a certain hardness and that they can help.”
Pavlidis is also proud: ,,This is the future for AZ. I think they have a great future and they can do well in the semi-finals.”
Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri certainly did not hold back during the press conference and criticized the playing calendar and the field of AZ: “But luckily I am old and I am almost retiring.”
,,We have played a game every three days since January 3 because of the madness of the World Cup. That naturally leads to injuries and bad football. But no one seems to mind. Also, no one cares that we have to play on a bad field. Now I also read that the field of participants of the World Cup is going to 48 countries. Competitions are suppressed by the national teams.”
“Our priority is to perform well in Serie A, but of course we will try to qualify for the next round and make it as difficult as possible for AZ. I want to win every match, so players who earn hundreds of thousands of euros should have no excuses.”
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss a thing of the stars.
#striker #Pavlidis #count #rich #Lazio #coach #Sarri #Fortunately