Manuel Pellegrini
 
(Positive result) “We got a very good result, especially taking into account we were up against a team who has a lot of experience in European competition.  I take my hat off to our team, the way they performed tonight was amazing.  The fans were so proud of each and every player.  We’ve still not qualified yet though, the hardest part is yet to come in Greece next week.  But we’re very strong, both physically and mentally, and eager to get through to the next round of the Champions League.”
 
(Return leg) “As I said, it’s a very good result, but there’s still a lot more work to do.  The Blue and Whites showed a lot of maturity on the pitch, despite not having much experience in this competition.  We were on the attack right from the start, and didn’t allow them to put any pressure on us, which is what we need to do in Greece.  We’ll be looking to dominate the match and create goal opportunities from the outset to ensure we qualify for the group stage.”
 
 
Weligton
 
“It was a fantastic match, and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric.  The fans had been waiting for this for such a long time, following all the rumours and difficulties we’ve had over the past few weeks.  We got a good result, performed well on the pitch, and didn’t concede a goal which is a great achievement.  There are still 90 minutes left to go though, so we need to relax a bit now, prepare for Saturday’s match and keep focused and working hard.”
 
“We need to keep control of the ball and create the goal chances we need to qualify to the next round.  We’re focusing on what we need to do match by match.”
 
 
Demichelis
 
“Anyone could have predicted a 2-0 win before the start of the match, and now we’ve got a good advantage ahead of the return leg.  As I said previously, it was important for us to play the first match at home, to gain more confidence in preparation for the next match.  Panathinaikos will be trying their hardest to overcome this initial 2-0 defeat, though we’re all fired up and ready to ensure they don’t!”
 
“Following the goals scored in the early part of the match, the fans were supporting the team like never before.  The cheers we received as we came out on to the pitch were incredible, the atmosphere was absolutely amazing.  We all felt very proud at that moment.”

 
Isco
 
“I’m very happy with the result, the team performed brilliantly, though we could have scored more goals I think.  We’ve now got a good advantage over Panathinaikos ahead of the return leg on Tuesday.”
 
“We didn’t concede a goal, which is so important in a double play-off match like this.  We stand in very good stead for the next match, though in football, you never know what’s going to happen!”