Football|The Icelanders are used to harsh and cold conditions.
Icelandic Vikingur Reykjavik football coach Sölvi Ottesen Wed Wednesday evening in a cool Helsinki.
Vikingur is not allowed to play on Thursday’s first playoffs in the European Conference League in Iceland, as there is no stadium that meets the playoffs at the island.
On Thursday, Vikingur will face the Panathinaikos of the Greek Grand Society.
Representatives of the Greek team and Greek journalists in their cold Wednesday’s press conference in Bolt Arena’s media room, but Ottesen was not cool to moxish.
He estimates that his team will benefit from the fact that Thursday’s match will be played in the chilling weather at Bolt Stadium artificial turf.
“We are used to the worse weather. You would know what Reykjavik is like in January – Finland is like Spain for us! ”A wellness coach said.
During the event, it was gently raining from the sky.
Weather It is good, but playing a home match 2,500 kilometers away from the hometown does not seem ideal.
“This is a pretty strange situation. However, we are used to the spare fields because we played already in the league phase in Iceland on the spare field, ”the coach said.
Ottsesen, 40, seemed to be pleased with Finland and the Finns.
“Finland is a good country. The Icelanders consider Finns a bit like their relatives. We have a lot in common, ”Ottesen said.
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You would know what Reykjavik is like in January.
He got to know the Finns already during his career. He represented the Swedish Djurgården 2004-2008. For example, teammates played as teammates Aki Riihilahti, Toni Kuivosto and Daniel Sjölund.
Vikinguri Even players do not consider February Helsinki difficult. Midfielder representing the players at the media event To elis thrandason described the circumstances as homely.
“The situation is hard in that we should not play in our home, but the weather in Finland is similar to that of Iceland,” he said.
The opponent Panathinos’ star cream is not scared.
“We have already met other good teams. It is important to us that we are not merely for us to cope with the follow -up games. ”
Vikingur scored eight points in the Conference League league phase and the future opponent Panathinaikosi ten. Bolt Arena’s real host team, HJK, was four points and qualified for the future.
The 1st match of the European Conference League 1.