Garry Rodrigues pointed out that the team is stepping up:

“It wasn’t easy at all. Especially the first leg was tough, but we got what we wanted. Today we played well. We were deprived of luck against Ajax. We deserved to qualify for the UEFA Europa League group stage, we didn’t concede goals and scored five goals. We continue in the Super League and in European competition.

I can’t say if this season is my best. We have a good team, we line up good performances, we play for each other and I believe we can be successful. I don’t know if we will be better than last season in Europe, but I do know that we have a good team..

We want to keep improving constantly. Our fans are happy with our performances in the four European games so far. The team is growing.

I hope to remain healthy and be better than last season. I want to help more, score more, provide more assists and be a better player for PAOK”.

Yevhen Shakhov spoke for the team’s gradual improvement:

“In the first leg, we were a little numb in the first half. In the second leg we played more openly and scored twice. Both legs were hard-fought. Our aim is to improve and keep moving forward.

There is disappointment for our elimination by Ajax, but we must move forward. We can’t compare games. We played more defensively, a more counter-attacking game against Ajax. Had we converted our opportunities, we would be the ones to qualify.

From game to game, we play more strongly. In the future, we will have a better understanding on the pitch.

I feel very well, but I need time to adjust. This is a natural procedure, I intend to move forward”.

As for Giorgos Tzavellas, he expressed his confidence on the team and his optimism that PAOK can go one step beyond this season:

“The games against Ajax can’t be compared with those against Dinamo. We have to move forward. We are happy to be in the group stage, but this is the season to make the extra step and qualify to the knock-out stage.

We are affected by the postponement of the league, but we stand by the effort that is being done, because we want a better football.

We are working on set pieces. We are practicing a lot and hopefully more goals will come out of them.

We are steadily progressing as a team. We will find our footing and that will be done only if we play more matches. Through these matches we will become better.

We are making a new start with the Greece national team. We want the team to be where they deserve. We hope that this bad spell has ended and that we will be present in the finals of the next big competition.

Both sides are positive towards the extension of my contract. You will be kept up-to-date by the club on any developments«.