PSG's set-piece planning pays off for Motta

Paris Saint-Germain FC's Thiago Motta admitted he took satisfaction in seeing the hard work on the training ground paying dividends after his second-half double helped the French title holders to a 4-1 Group C opening win. The home side Olympiacos FC put up a considerable fight, and their goalscorer Vladimír Weiss reflected on a "special and emotional moment" after scoring his first Champions League goal, despite finishing on the losing side.

Thiago Motta, PSG midfielder
These are three very important points for us in our first game. We were lacking in intensity in the first half and a little off the pace but we recovered well and produced a very good second half with important goals. It is no coincidence that our set plays are working well. We have been working hard on them in training and it's great to see the result of that. There is a bit of luck involved as well, obviously, but this time things worked for us.

Zlatan Ibrahimović, PSG forward
It may have seemed easy to get the win but it wasn't. The Olympiacos fans created an amazing atmosphere and this was a great advantage for them in the first half. Our goal is to advance to the next stage and we got three very important points that set us on our way to qualification. If we finish top of the group or not is not really important.

All the games are difficult in this competition and we cannot afford to underestimate any opponent. I had spoken with [former Olympiacos defender and Sweden team-mate Olof] Mellberg and he told me that the fans here are fantastic; eventually I had that experience and the atmosphere was incredible.

Vladimír Weiss, Olympiacos forward
It was my first Champions League goal and the first time that my wife was at a game here so it was a special moment for me, especially to score a goal like that. I was very emotional and that is why I ran towards my wife to celebrate. I only wish that my goal could have meant that we got a positive result but it wasn't to be.

Anyone that saw the game would agree that we didn't deserve to lose 4-1. Maybe if one of my earlier efforts in the first half had gone in then we could have been 3-1 up ourselves at half-time and it could have been a different game. We have to stay positive though, and I'm sure that if we maintain the level we showed in the first half we have good prospects in the competition.

Giannis Maniatis, Olympiacos defender
We didn't deserve to lose by such a scoreline, the result is an injustice. The team tried hard, and from the first minute we tried to play openly and attacking against a strong team. But if you lose your concentration then you pay for it and we paid dearly for switching off at set pieces. We have to stay positive and on the evidence of the first-half performance we can expect better things to come in this campaign. The crowd stayed with us even when we were losing and I would like to thank them for their support.