José Luis Mendilibar, the head coach of Olympiacos, said the Greek champions must now concentrate on football after a turbulent close to the transfer window, speaking ahead of a Super League match away at Volos.
Speaking to Cosmote TV, the Basque coach also addressed Olympiacos's recent away win at Larissa, the club's two newest signings, and the players who departed the squad in the closing days of the window.
Comfortable win at Larissa
Mendilibar said that with so many new players in the squad, it was natural for goals to come from them, since few of the more experienced players featured in the trip to Larissa. He said the hosts made things difficult in the first half, but that his team was freed up once the second goal went in, which helped Olympiacos reach a big scoreline.
New signings Puerta and Bailey
On the club's newest arrivals, Mendilibar said he hoped both would perform to their ability and help the team. He described Puerta as a young player who has already achieved a great deal, and said he hoped the forward would repay the investment made in him and show his best form at Olympiacos.
Mendilibar noted that Olympiacos have made significant player sales in recent years, which allowed the club to complete such a big transfer, and said he genuinely believed the signing could help the team improve considerably.
On Bailey, he said the player had achieved plenty over his career but may not have gone through the right preparation, so the club needed to be patient and give him time. He added that Bailey was among the players capable of giving the team a great deal if he played to his ability.
Players who left the club
Mendilibar said it was a shame that several players had left Olympiacos in recent days, since they were players the club had won everything with. He explained that the previous season had not gone as well as hoped, and that in such cases a settled squad sometimes has to be rebuilt from scratch.
He said that is simply how football works, and to some extent how life works too, adding that things have to be fixed when they are not going well. Mendilibar thanked the departing players for what they had given the team, wished them luck and said he hoped everything would go well for them in future.
Cutting the European squad list
Mendilibar also addressed the club's European squad list, saying such situations can never be perfect. He called it a very difficult night with many hard decisions, since roster limits meant some players had to be left out.
He said he had faced the same problem every time a squad list had to be submitted since joining Olympiacos in February 2024, when he had to leave four players out, up to August 2026, when seven players had to be excluded. He called it unavoidable given the restrictions in place.
Looking ahead to Volos
Turning to the upcoming match at Volos, Mendilibar called it a very important game for Olympiacos and said the squad wanted to focus on it and produce a good performance. He acknowledged that a great deal had happened in recent days, between the European list and players arriving and leaving, which could distract attention from matches, the most important thing.
Now that the squad knows who is here, he said, the players need to focus on the task at hand. Olympiacos want to go to Volos, play a good match and take another three points, he said.
Olympiacos, based in Piraeus, are the most decorated club in Greek football history and the reigning champions of the Super League. Mendilibar, a Spanish coach from the Basque Country, has led the team since February 2024 and previously won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2023. Volos are a Super League club based in the Thessaly port city of the same name.
