“We can turn it around” – Nikolic confident of making semis despite AEK’s first leg loss

AEK manager Marko Nikolic has presented a assured beforehand successful the aftermath of their large nonaccomplishment to Rayo Vallecano, stressing they tin turn things astir adjacent week successful Greece and support their European travel alive.

Enosi suffered a 3-0 decision distant successful the archetypal limb of the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals connected Friday greeting (AEST), putting them astatine large hazard of elimination.

Their hopes of progression to the last 4 are mathematically successful immense strife, though Nikolic looked to the positives post-match and confirmed they will attack the instrumentality limb successful Athens with confidence.

“It’s not a bully result. I don’t think it reflects however the lucifer went. We had much shots connected extremity and chances, but we were unlucky,” the manager said successful the post-match property conference, adding:

“We weren’t capable to accommodate to the mediocre playing conditions. At important moments, we didn’t marque the close decisions, and the opposing goalkeeper made some saves.”

He pointed to the 2nd limb arsenic an accidental to turn it around, believing they tin win and propulsion to level the contention connected aggregate.

“We person implicit religion that we tin turn it around, and I’m looking guardant to the 2nd limb astatine our location stadium.”

AEK defender Harold Moukoudi echoed his coach’s sentiments post-match, telling media they did not play arsenic atrocious arsenic the scoreline suggests and that they will attack the reverse limb with confidence.

“To beryllium honest, we didn’t play a atrocious game, but they were much effective. They scored their chances and we didn’t people ours. That’s however things are.”

“But we judge that successful the 2nd limb we tin bash it. Everyone knows what we tin bash astatine location and we will bash our champion to turn the effect around.”