Fenerbahçe SK v Liverpool | Andoni Iraola Champions League Pre-Match Press Conference

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Andoni Iraola (0:33)

Good evening.

SPEAKER_4 (0:33)

Good evening. If you'd like to raise your hand if you want to ask a question.

Andy.

SPEAKER_6 (0:49)

Hello, Andoni.

Andoni Iraola (0:49)

Hello.

SPEAKER_6 (0:50)

Have you received any explanation from Pro-Ref since Sunday's game for any of the decisions in that game?

Andoni Iraola (0:58)

No, I didn't ask for an explanation. I didn't receive any explanation. No, I think it's... I told you what I think about the plays, but honestly, I don't have time.

I've just been preparing for Fenerbahçe. We have just two days between games, so I've been just focusing on this game, on the opposition, and how to prepare the team for tomorrow.

SPEAKER_6 (1:19)

And you said... Sorry, you said that you didn't ask for an explanation either?

Andoni Iraola (1:22)

No, no.

SPEAKER_6 (1:23)

Okay.

SPEAKER_3 (1:30)

I will ask in Turkish.

SPEAKER_4 (1:36)

In 2005, you won a big championship by 3-3 against Milan, You won a big championship, and we can say that Istanbul is very happy.

SPEAKER_7 (1:44)

But in the games you played in Istanbul, Liverpool has a negative process.

SPEAKER_6 (1:49)

Tomorrow, Liverpool will want to break this process.

SPEAKER_7 (1:53)

What kind of a game plan do you think? Because in the Premier League, We are watching a different Liverpool match.

SPEAKER_6 (2:02)

I will ask you to evaluate the match.

Andoni Iraola (2:07)

Yes, I think Istanbul is going to be always special for Liverpool. It's difficult to find a better night in football. I come back like that one in such an important night. And talking about tomorrow, we know it's not going to be easy. You talk about the statistics, I think it's the president of the... Not Liverpool alone, just English teams. For sure, if I go, I've come here also to play, go to Spanish teams will be similar. It's always difficult to come to Turkey and play.

And we have to be very ready because Fenerbahce have very good players, very good squad. They have also experience.

They know how to play in this competition. So we have to start strong the game and try to kill the confidence, the momentum that they can have with the supporters.

Yeah, I think we've had better results this season in Champions League and also Carabao Cup than in the Premier League. I think it's very early in the season to establish comparisons. We want to continue the line that we are having in the Champions League. Three games, nine points. For us, it's a good chance to get to 12 points, try to qualify and then go to try to finish in the top eight. But Champions League away days are difficult and we know this. And especially in this stadium, this atmosphere, we have to be mentally very ready to start strong.

SPEAKER_7 (3:45)

Fenerbahçe, your opponent, has been having a hard time lately.

They haven't won the top 3 games, and the technical directors at the beginning of the season have resigned. Do you think that playing Fenerbahçe in a time like this, playing Fenerbahçe in a time like this, is an advantage?

Andoni Iraola (4:06)

Yes, I think Fenerbahçe also is in a situation where they've changed the manager, the players haven't changed, we know most of the players, we know the team, obviously we don't have as many games to analyse with the record that we had with the previous manager, but I don't think they've changed too much the style, I think they continue playing the same style. And it's about controlling the individual players that they have, that they have players up front especially, that they can make the difference. So we have to take care of them.

SPEAKER_5 (4:54)

Andoni, just on Ryan Gravenberg, what's the latest with him? Is he a potential first Sunday or?

Andoni Iraola (5:01)

I don't know. It's a day to day thing because it's the first year, the hill is about the pain. I think he's been with some discomfort the other day against Arsenal.

He was warming up and he was not fully confident. He hasn't improved since then. But it's gonna be something that every day we ask him, every day we see how he is, if he can be available for the weekend. Lovely, it would be a very good help for us, but I cannot tell you right now.