bundesliga.de: Mister Amanatidis, Greece are defending champions at EURO 2008. How do you deal with the pressure?

Ioannis Amanatidis: There is no such pressure, no one really expects us to successfully defend the title. Teams like Italy, Germany or France are under pressure, because an exit before the semi-final would be a blow for them. We played well in qualifying and proved that our 2004 title wasn't a fluke. We are involved when the best football nations in Europe meet, and we can be proud of that.

bundesliga.de: The EURO 2004 title was a real football miracle, but then the shock: Greece missed the 2006 World Cup. How did you deal with it?

Amanatidis: Missing out on the World Cup did hurt. But we regained our composure and will do everything to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

bundesliga.de: What makes you optimistic that Greece will play a successful EURO 2008?

Amanatidis: The qualifying, because we showed that we're tough to beat. Our strength is our closeness within the team and our good defensive work that starts up front.

bundesliga.de: How do you rate your opponents in the group?

Amanatidis: There are no easy matches at the EURO, the best teams in Europe play here. I think Spain are the top favourites in our group, but we're absolutely on a level with Sweden and Russia. We have to leave these two teams behind us.

bundesliga.de: Many Greeks play in the Bundesliga. What's the status of the Bundesliga in Greece?

Amanatidis: The Bundesliga has a very high status. The Bundesliga is the third strongest league in Europe after England and Spain, and clubs such as Bayern or Schalke have their fans in Greece, too.

bundesliga.de: Is the interest in the Bundesliga partly down to national team coach Otto Rehhagel?

Amanatidis: I think there had been large interest in the Bundesliga even before Otto Rehhagel. But because of him the interest surely has increased.

Questions: Sebastian Stolz / Translation: Christof Greiner