Pogba proud to help Juventus beat Olympiacos

• Paul Pogba settles a five-goal thriller in favour of Juventus
• Pogba is "very happy" while Gianluigi Buffon speaks of "a sporting miracle"
• Giannis Maniatis content with visitors' display despite defeat
• Míchel labels Roberto's late penalty save as potentially "crucial"
• Next games: Malmö v Juventus, Atlético v Olympiacos (26 November)

Paul Pogba, Juventus midfielder
We are very happy with the performance. Unfortunately we missed a penalty that would have taken us ahead of Olympiacos [on head-to-head] but overall our performance was good. We have to take the positives and we know what we have to do in the future. As always we created several opportunities and we missed many, but fortunately the ball went in a few times tonight.

Personally I felt fine with the new playing system [4-4-2] and I think the team played well in general. We conceded only from set pieces so I think we did very well for the entire 90 minutes. Now we will try to win the last two games and we will see if we manage to qualify.

Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus goalkeeper
We conceded twice from set pieces and our chances of going through were in serious danger, but I think a defeat would have been an unfair result. After going behind in the second half we didn't feel dejected but responded well and conjured a sort of sporting miracle. In games like this the mental approach can be crucial. [In the first half] we conceded soon after the [Andrea Pirlo] goal, then after the break we kept pushing even when 2-1 down. It wasn't an easy game to win, but we managed to earn the three points. 

I think we played a pretty good game tonight. Olympiacos didn't create clear chances apart from the goals and we defended well despite playing with a different system than usual. This group is strong and I think you have to take some risks in order to reach a higher level.  

Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach
I needed [Fernando] Llorente to give us a bit more freshness up front. [Álvaro] Morata played well, but he's got to get used to playing this frequently because it's different to playing now and again.

My team played the new system well. We had good intensity in our game and created lots of chances. We fell behind without even realising it, but that's football and you've got to remain calm and the lads did that to turn the game around again, so we've got to be happy. We've got two more games and the chance to top the group, so we've got to be positive after tonight.

The penalty would have rounded the evening off nicely and we would have gone ahead of them on head-to-head, but we've got to think of our last two games and getting six points. Four may be enough, or even three, but who knows? What matters was winning tonight and I've got to compliment the lads. We've got six points and we can make it 12.

It's true they are ahead of us in the head-to-head, but they have to get six points to qualify mathematically, so everything's still wide open. We'll know what we've got to do after the game against Malmö.

[Angelo] Ogbonna was available, he was on the bench and we had the option to play a three-man defence, but I wanted to change system and try to get the best out of our central midfielders, particularly with Morata up front.

After they equalised for 1-1, we lost our way for a bit, but we regained it and I was pleased with the intensity. We were getting better even at the end of the game and this is important too.

Giannis Maniatis, Olympiacos defender
We put on a great performance but were unlucky. We had a lapse of concentration that cost us for Juventus's second and third goals. However, Olympiacos are a big team who help Greek football grow in stature. I believe we will collect the points we need to qualify.

It was a frustrating end for Olympiacos©AFP/Getty Images

Alberto Botía, Olympiacos defender
It was an important goal for me and the team, but in the end we lost. It's good we have the upper hand in our head-to-head with Juventus and Roberto saving [Arturo] Vidal's penalty might prove decisive. It was a very intense match. We were pressured in the early stages but settled nicely into the game after equalising for 1-1. We are optimistic ahead of every encounter and we feel the same way ahead of our visit to Madrid.

Míchel, Olympiacos coach
We have two games to go, so it is still all to play for. We played well in many parts of the game, but of course we're disappointed. We may only be an average side at European level, but we have already proven with our two wins at home and for much of tonight how we can hold our own.

We've got to try to get a positive result [at Club Atlético de Madrid on 26 November]. We know the atmosphere at the Calderón is just like it is here. It was a great match: five goals, two great sides playing an open game.

We had some players who were tired so we had to change things a little. It took us a while to get into the game, but then we caused Juventus problems. Roberto's penalty save could be crucial in terms of the destiny of this group. He proved what a fantastic goalkeeper he is.