22.03.2009 | PRESS
CONFERENCE
Sotiris
PANTALEON (Team Captain, Panathinaikos Athens):
We are disappointed that we
failed in front of our own fans. It is a difficult moment now, because after
yesterday's semifinal we believed that we could pull it through. Still, I am
proud, because we played well. We defeated a team that is contending for the
Italian title and lost to one of the best Russian teams.
Sergey TETYUKHIN
(Team Captain, Lokomotiv-Belogorie Belgorod):
The victory was a team effort and our good
tactics was a big boost to our performance.
Congratulations to all.
Alekos LEONIS (Head Coach,
Panathinaikos Athens):
Congratulations to my players
for their efforts this weekend. We need to see thing
in the correct perspective. Many people don't know
what Cuneo and Belgorod mean. Belgorod last week
defeated Iskra, which plays in the Champions'
League.
As to tactics: First of all was our serving and we
should have served more intelligently. Also, we were
not patient enough, especially in the fourth set,
when the score was tied 11-11. Anyway, we have to
accept that Lokomotiv was the better team and they
made very few errors today.
Gennady SHIPULIN (Head Coach,
Lokomotiv-Belogorie Belgorod):
I am well used to such
atmosphere as the fans created today. I am very
happy to have won the trophy. I respect the view of
Leonis about the best team. It is true that there
are a lot of good players in Russa and I cannot say
why the results of the National Team do not
correspond--but then I am not the coach of the
National Team.
Liberman AGAMEZ (Most Valuable Player & Top Scorer,
Panathinaikos Athens):
Things did not develop as we had expected. The
moment we needed to work well, we failed in
reception. We were all expecting to win, but we
failed in the fourth set. We were close, but our
opponents won all the crucial points. Neverthelessm,
I am happy to have played in front of such a crowd.
I am thrilled by my two individual awards, and I
dedicate them to the fans of Panathinaikos, but I
would gladly exchange them for the trophy itself.
