Wolves will face Olympiacos behind closed doors, following UEFA’s decision that the last 16 tie must go ahead, so departed for Athens on Wednesday afternoon. Although disappointed by the loss of supporters in the stands, Coady know the Wolves group must now focus on the game, which holds huge importance to the football club.
On the group’s spirit
“We’re ready to play. We’ve looked at it and a lot of people have spoken, we’ve read a lot of things and seen a lot of things, but we’re professional footballers - we’ve got to prepare to get ready to play a game which is a really important game for this football club.
“You go home to your wives and kids after the game so that’s the priority. We need to make sure it’s right when we’re going home. We saw the game postponed tonight between Manchester City and Arsenal but as players there’s not a lot we can do. All we can do is train, prepare and listen to our manager and play tomorrow night.
“We make sure we prepare right and compete in something that is a fantastic game for this football club, which I think everybody is forgetting. So, we’ll go over there to try and do that.”
On reaching the last 16
“It’s a huge competition and a huge game, but one that’s had a lot of things surrounding it. We’ve seen everything but we’ve prepared right. We’re professionals in terms of what we do and how we do it. We’re prepared to make sure that we go there and compete.
“It’s something that you dream about all the time. We’ve looked at it all season and, as the games have come thick and fast, we’ve got more and more excited. If there is a disappointing thing about this one, it’s that there’s no supporters in the ground.”
On playing behind closed doors
“Football’s nothing without supporters, that’s what makes everything having supporters in the ground. That’s what we play for, to entertain supporters, so that’s the biggest disappointment but at the same time it’s something that this club has worked for over the whole season.
“We all know that this virus is scary, but the most important thing is that they’re (the supporters) safe. It means the most to us the way they support us and the way they travel. Obviously, a lot booked to come to Greece to come and support us and it means a lot to us but the most important thing for us is that they’re safe.”
On Olympiacos’ threat
“We’ve spoken to Daniel (Podence) who knows quite a bit about them, so he’s told us quite a bit which is good. He’s obviously had a good career there and speaks very highly of Olympiacos and the people involved with them as well.
“We’ve watched their games; we’ve looked at their games and how we can try and take advantage of what they do and how they play. It’s important we go there with the right mentality and with our own way of playing because that’s what we do every single game, that will never ever change with this football club. It’s important that we take this in our stride and move forward.”
