"In the hands of Odysseas"

INTERVIEW

"In the hand of Odysseas" – a content, also available on BPlay, where the Sport Lisboa e Benfica makes a portrait of the Reds' season so far, promising ambition all the way to the end. 

DRESSING ROOM

"You can see the atmosphere within our team in the dressing room, but also off the pitch. It's very familiar and very good. We end up doing a lot of things together off the pitch, and the atmosphere in the team is fantastic.  I believe that is the mentality of this year. It's the style of football we play, we want to win every game, and we will try to keep the level as high as possible. That's our goal for this season. I think that all the players have a good relationship with the coach. What I like and what I see is that he cares about the team's opinion. There is always good communication between the coach and the player. It's a really good relationship. I think we play very aggressive and very bold football. In a short time, [Roger Schmidt] helped the team to believe in itself, in each player’s quality, and you can see that on the pitch. Our way of playing football, in our quality. It changed our way of thinking."

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

"It was everyone's responsibility as a team. We were trailing by 1-0 twice [against PSG] and we managed to recover. It shows very well the quality we have in the team this season. It probably wasn't one of the best, but it was certainly one of the games I was most focused on. I always say that it's part of me to help the team. And in every game, I give my best."

ATMOSPHERE AT ESTÁDIO DA LUZ

"[Odysseas answers in Portuguese] It gives me a shiver! But I go into the pitch focused on winning the match. Total focus. Having a sold-out stadium is very good for the players, playing at a packed Estádio da Luz, the atmosphere is top! I like it a lot!"

LEAGUE CUP 

"We want to win as much as possible this season and win every match. The [League Cup] Allianz Cup is also very important for us. We will give our best, try to win the matches and hopefully be able to lift the trophy at the end."

ORIGINS

"It's always good to come home because I have my family there and also my friends. My mother moved when she was two, so she grew up in Germany. After that, my father went to Germany when he was twenty... Later on, my brother and I were born."

CAREER

"I believe at that time it was the right decision for me to move to Athens. I really liked the plan that Panathinaikos had for me. And for me, it was good to leave the country, move to Greece, be on my own and spread my wings. I think it turned out to be an easy decision too. I had the opportunity to play with my brother again, to play in the same team." 

MOVE TO BENFICA

"For me, it was like taking the next step. Play in a better Championship, play international matches with Benfica and improve more and more. That was my next step, and I wanted to develop in a better league, to play Champions League, international games... That was my idea and my way of thinking."

NATIONAL TEAM 

"First of all, I always felt that I was Greek. I had a great time with the German national team. It was a success. I played in great tournaments, but it was a difficult decision for me."

AND THINKING...?

"When I think... Sometimes it's in German, sometimes in Greek... It's a mess, a mix of the two."

BEST GOALKEEPER OF THE LEAGUE IN SEPTEMBER

"First of all, thank you to all the people who voted for me. It's definitely nice to win a trophy like this, but I think it's a team effort. The team helps you win these awards. And if the team is doing well, you will always improve as a player." 

LIGA PORTUGAL BWIN

"The League [Portugal Bwin] is very interesting. Every team wants to play build-up play football style, every team has fast players, any team can make a dent. And yes, I think it's a tough league."

COLLECTIVE GOALS

"We will try to give our best, win matches, be successful and achieve our goals for this season. Professionally, I hope I can improve day by day, to achieve our goals this season."

PERSONAL GOALS

"On a personal level, staying healthy and enjoying time with my family and children."

SPORT LISBOA E BENFICA

"Home and Family."