Soccer

Evangelos Marinakis eyes more silverware after Olympiacos win Conference League

Ayoub El Kaabi’s extra-time winner secured a first major European trophy for Olympiacos.

Ayoub El Kaabi (centre) celebrates after his extra-time goal gave Olympiacos victory in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina (Petros Giannakouris/AP)
Ayoub El Kaabi (centre) celebrates after his extra-time goal gave Olympiacos victory in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina (Petros Giannakouris/AP) (Petros Giannakouris/AP)
By PA Sport Staff

Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis has set his sights on more silverware after the club’s “crazy dream” became reality with victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final.

Ayoub El Kaabi’s extra-time winner secured a first major European trophy for Olympiacos in an otherwise forgettable contest taking place at the home of their domestic rivals AEK Athens.

“We are very happy and proud,” Marinakis, who also owns Nottingham Forest, said in quotes reported by daily newspaper Ethnos.

“The people of Olympiacos have been singing about a crazy dream for 99 years. Today is not a crazy dream, it is reality, here in Greece.

“These are moments of emotion and great joy. We continue not only to dream, but also to soar high. We’re moving on. Here we go, the Europa League could be next.”

Marinakis insisted he had been “sure” Olympiacos would get the better of Fiorentina in the final, adding: “What I told the captains, the coach and my colleagues was that we should all concentrate and not think about anything else, only the victory.

“If you focus and want it bad enough, you will achieve it. We would never lose today, especially in Greece. I was sure, I broadcast it to everyone and you saw the result.

“We have made a start, I am sure that in the coming years other Greek teams will achieve it as well. The next dream is a Europa League.”

Evangelos Marinakis celebrates at the end of the Conference League final against Fiorentina (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)
Evangelos Marinakis celebrates at the end of the Conference League final against Fiorentina (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

Olympiacos midfielder Chiquinho struggled to sum up the size of the club’s achievement.

“It’s difficult to put into words,” he said on Sky Sports News. “For the players, for the fans, for the club, it’s history.

“We did it. We are so happy to make history for this club and to make our fans proud.”

Substitute Stevan Jovetic, a former Fiorentina forward, admitted he had mixed emotions after the game as the Italian side suffered a second straight defeat in the final of the competition.

“I had to put all my emotions aside, to concentrate to do well, to win, and then after the game straight away I went to them (Fiorentina players) and congratulated them for the game,” Jovetic said.

“It’s a third final in two years they are losing [they were runners-up in the Coppa Italia in 2023] so it’s not easy, I know, but I wish them all the best and I hope they will win next season.”