CSKA-Sofia coach Alexander Tomas gave his regular press conference before the derby with Ludogorets, which will be played tomorrow, BTA reports. "Before every match, it is normal to have concerns, but they are related to our team, not to the opponent. I've always said we have to deal with everything. We need to go out and play football. The opponent is playing positional football with the new coach - the kind played all over Europe. We'll outplay each other. The opponent is a strong team, but the audience and history are on CSKA's side. I am convinced that there are football players in CSKA who can oppose. There is a lot to work on, we need to bring certain units together, but this is the way, this is the way. "Since I have been a coach, CSKA has not been outplayed despite the results," Tomas was emphatic.
"We went through two weeks in a row where we trained without half the players. But since I've been coaching, these have been the best classes in terms of quality. I'll let you in on a secret. "Since I've been a coach, I've worked very little in the defensive phase - mostly on building the attacks, on style, on keeping the ball and developing the attacks," he added.
"We have to be close to the opponent when we are without the ball. And to take the ball away from them. This is the key to success. Ludogorets doesn't like to play without the ball and if we do that, they will be nervous," the coach added.
"In the first game, CSKA played great without the ball. I have never seen a Bulgarian team that imposes such a press. But football is 90 minutes. What they did in the first half, we have to repeat it. We have to guard the ball like a woman," the coach of the "Reds" also said.
"There is no way I will be happy with the ranking. When I took over the team, we were in 12th place. I am not satisfied with the provisional ranking, I know where CSKA should be. I am convinced that the players also like the style and the way we play. If we win tomorrow, I will be very happy", concluded Alexander Tomas.