Olympiacos demand 'more guts'

Normal service
Defiant Xanthi appeared to have bucked the trend as they led the table after eight rounds of the Greek season, but normal service was resumed on Sunday when Trond Sollied's side secured a comfortable 2-0 win against ten-man opponents. It was some consolation for a demoralising 4-1 home defeat by Group F frontrunners Olympique Lyonnais on Matchday 4; a fourth successive European loss curtailing Olympiacos's UEFA Champions League hopes for another year.

Slender chance
Left-back Grigorios Georgatos stressed the need for Olympiacos to "move on". "We must leave the Lyon match behind us and look to the future," he said. "It will only harm us if we don't. You need to have guts to play for Olympiacos." Georgatos and company must now beat Rosenborg BK in Norway on Matchday 5 to have any chance of gaining a UEFA Cup berth, with a game against Real Madrid CF in Athens completing their group campaign.

Angry supporters
However, it will take more than guts to appease the fans who switched from passionate support to catcalls and boos during the Lyon match. "Our supporters have every right to be upset," Georgatos said. "I've reacted in the same way in the past in similar situations." Turkish midfielder Erol Bulut was also thinking of the fans as he reflected on the defeat in Athens - and for him there is only one appropriate response. "We're sorry for our fans," he said. "Now we must beat Rosenborg."

'Still a great side'
Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Touré echoed those sentiments, saying: "We will try to beat Rosenborg and hope for a place in the UEFA Cup. We will do it for our supporters." Right-back Anastasios Pantos added: "We have to regain our stride as we're still a great side. We have to give everything we have in the next two games."