Albert Riera lost this weekend against “God”

This weekend, it was a special moment, obviously, for the former coach of the Girondins de Bordeaux, Albert Riera. Indeed, back in Celje since this summer and the fall of FCGB, this weekend he faced his other former club in Slovenia, Olympia. At home, the former Bordeaux player lost with a score of 0-1. But for him, it was not Olympia that won against him, it was quite simply God.

“God won, not Olimpija. Luck. Slovenia, open your eyes. Do you want such a victory? They came here with the intention of playing 0-0, and they actually won. They can thank God. If I were with them, I would be praying in church. Of course, the result is important, but my team will never win like that. This is the difference between Olimpija and Celje. That’s the difference between coaches. We are here to help raise the level of Slovenian football. But we will not contribute to it by playing like Olimpija did.”

It must be said that against all expectations, Victor Sanchezthe Olimpija coach, took the Spaniard by surprise, fielding five defenders and two defensive midfielders. And it worked…

“I expected a completely different Olimpija. It was a duel between the last two winners of the Slovenian championship. We tried to win in Stožice, it was 2:2, a match full of chances. This is a championship fight. I expected an open match, but not this. What happened? We were shocked at how easy it was to play against them. We didn't expect such an easy match, so we lacked the desire. The score should have been 3-0 at halftime. Svetlin was completely isolated on the left. Tactically we couldn't have prepared better, but I didn't expect such a bad game from the opponent. That's why I'm shocked by the result. In ten cases we would have won a match like this ten times over. Okay, they won, they played pragmatically. But for me, Maribor has more potential than Olimpija, and after this match I am even more convinced of it. Titles are won in May, not in November.”

Comments which obviously recall those that the ex-Spanish international may have had in Gironde.