Summary of the defeat of Maccabi Tel Aviv 6:1 against Olympiakos in the round of 16 final of the Conference League/Sport1
While Maccabi Tel Aviv continues to lick its wounds after the humiliating elimination, in Greece they continue to celebrate with Olympiakos even long after the game.
The local media yesterday (Friday) praised Olympiakos coach Jose Luis Mandiliber for a "brilliant game plan", and illustrated with data how the Greeks dismantled the Yellows.
First, close to 60 long passes were delivered during the game towards Daniel Fodensa, the Olympiakos winger who starred with a goal and two assists - this after Mandiliber identified the right line of the Maccabi Tel Aviv defense as a weak spot.
Second, when Maccabi Tel Aviv went on the offensive, two players were attached to Eran Zahavi almost regularly, which greatly limited the number of times he could touch the ball in the box.
"Olympiakos eliminated Zahavi," they wrote on the "SportTime" website.
Zahavi was even interviewed at the airport on the way back to Israel to the Greek website "Gavros" and provided an "amazing explanation" for the abnormal result - according to the local media.
"We are very disappointed, because we came into the game with a safe advantage but we didn't take advantage of it. I think we didn't give enough respect to Olympiakos, and unfortunately we paid a price for it," Zahavi was quoted as saying.
"You shouldn't underestimate a big team. In the end they caught us sleeping and scored a quick goal, just like we scored in the first game. They were excellent and they also had a bit of luck. I wish them the best of luck in the future."
Indifference that came at a high price?
Zahabi with El Yosef El Arabi/Reuters
One of the websites in Greece reported that Robbie Keane entered the dressing room of Olympiakos at the end of the game and congratulated them on qualifying for the quarter finals.
"I wanted to congratulate you and tell you that you deserved to move up. You proved that you are the better team," Keane said to the Olympiakos players, and the Greek media wrote about this: "The Maccabi Tel Aviv coach also recognized the enormous dominance of Olympiakos."
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