AEK Athens manager praises Jose Mourinho after 2-3 loss to Real Madrid: ‘I have great admiration for him’

AEK Athens manager Marko Nikolic praised Jose Mourinho following his side’s 3-2 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.

Despite the disappointment of Federico Valverde’s stoppage-time winner, Nikolic expressed his admiration for the Real Madrid manager and insisted his players had every reason to be proud of their performance.

Speaking at his post-match press conference (h/t Mundo Deportivo), the AEK Athens coach analysed the game, explaining that his team had entered the contest with the intention of beating Madrid.

During his comments, Mourinho’s managerial achievements earned particular recognition from Nikolic, who highlighted his success across multiple leagues and footballing cultures.

“I have great admiration for Mourinho. Wherever he goes, he gets results, and he has done so in many countries. ”

“He wins titles in all of them – not just one, but many. To receive a compliment from him is a great honour,” he began saying.

Nikolic was equally keen to emphasise that AEK had approached the match with genuine attacking ambition.

His players competed with Real Madrid throughout the encounter, but a missed opportunity during a four-on-two situation proved costly before Valverde settled the contest with a spectacular late strike.

“Our approach from the start was to try to win. We didn’t take to the pitch just to manage the game or to make a good impression.”

“If we’d been fresher, we’d have got a different result. We squandered a four-on-two situation that could have turned the match around.”

“They stole the ball from us, produced an incredible strike and won,” he explained.

Despite losing, Nikolic refused to allow the result to overshadow his players’ efforts.

He praised their commitment and identified their competitive spirit as an important part of the club’s identity.

“We should be proud of our performance. The lads gave it their all. When you see the team giving their all on the pitch, it’s wonderful.”

“That’s our hallmark and what our fans love about us. It’s impossible to perform at the same level every three days,” he said.

Ultimately, he concluded by giving the strongest message possible, stating,

“I’m very proud of our team. It’s a shame about the result, but we’re fighters and we’re competitive.”

“We have no intention of feeling sorry for ourselves. It’s an opportunity to build something better. We’ve still got a long way to go,” he concluded.