Brazilian winger Taison has pledged to maintain full dedication after PAOK FC management demoted him to train with the Greek club's reserve side, PAOK B.
The experienced forward chose to speak publicly through his personal Instagram account after club executives decided that he must follow the training programme of the second team.
He shared his position on joining training sessions with PAOK B while sending a message of unity and rallying together ahead of a demanding period for the club.
Addressing supporters directly, Taison greeted fans and noted that they already knew the news. He stated that the only thing he wanted to say was that he would continue training with the same mindset and the same dedication.
Taison made clear that supporting and helping younger teammates was both a pleasure and a challenge for him. He stressed that he will continue to work with that same dedication during reserve team sessions.
Focus on Olympiacos fixture
Crucially, the Brazilian winger insisted that the only thing that matters for PAOK at this moment is for the squad to focus on their highly important match against Olympiacos. He stated that concentrating on that upcoming derby is what truly counts now.
Reserve squad role at PAOK B
The decision by the PAOK board requires Taison to follow the training schedule of PAOK B, the club's official reserve squad. The team competes in Super League 2, the second tier of the Greek professional football system.
Under Greek football league regulations, reserve sides function primarily as developmental platforms for emerging academy talent and cannot earn promotion to the top division. Taison's presence will see the senior international working directly alongside the club's prospects rather than preparing with the first team.
Career background of Brazilian winger
Taison, whose full name is Taison Barcellos Freda, joined PAOK in January 2023. The attacker previously established an international reputation during a prolific eight year spell with Ukrainian powerhouses Shakhtar Donetsk, winning six Ukrainian Premier League titles and captaining the club in European competition.
The winger also earned eight caps for the Brazil national team between 2016 and 2018, and was selected in Brazil's final 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Before moving to Europe with Metalist Kharkiv in 2010, he won the Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores with Brazilian side Internacional.
Rivalry with Olympiacos
PAOK FC, based in Thessaloniki in northern Greece, play home matches at the Toumba Stadium and are reigning Greek champions. Matches between PAOK and Olympiacos, who are based in Piraeus, represent one of the fiercest rivalries in Greek sport, with fixtures between the northern and southern clubs frequently having major consequences in the Super League title race.
