Real Madrid

Real Madrid basketball coach Joan Plaza analyzed the results of Tuesday's Euroleague draw, which has the Whites playing regining champion CSKA Moscow, Partizan Igokea, and Efes Pilsen in Group D during the regular season.

Group D analysis: 
I think all three groups are difficult. We will be playing the reigning champion CSKA. We also have a difficult test in Belgrade. Efes Pilsen, meanwhile has done a good job rebuilding. They should be our three biggest obstacles, but we also know that Milan and Panionios have long-standing tradition and that they are going to do whatever it takes to make the first cut.

CSKA has a great chance of making it to the Final Four and I think they will only get better as the competition is played out. Messina is a smart coach who won't be out to win all from the start and who will make sure his team comes up big when needed. Winning in Moscow is obviously not within everyone's reach. It's hard to defeat them there, but it's also hard to beat us at home. We have proven that it's hard to leave Vistalegre with a win. Partizan rebuilds year after year, and winning in Belgrade is never easy. We've done it before, but it's hard to repeat. That is Partizan's forte and they will do what they have to make sure it remains that way. Efes Pilsen is another team that rebuilds well every year. They are strong at home and can always pull of an upset on the road. I think they will make it through to the next round. I am not sure what kind of structure Milan has. I am only familiar with what the coach of Italian champion Siena told me. Apparently Milan and Roma made some big investments this year. If the champion of the league respects them that much, it means they are making drastic improvements. Finally, Panionios was last year's Cinderella in the Greek league. I am not sure if they rebuilt or not, but being referred to as an outsider or an underdog oftentimes makes you more dangerous than the rest.

Other groups:
In Group B, Montepaschi, Barcelona, Panathinaikos, and Zalgiris should make it through. Prokom also spends a lot of money and tends to have competitive teams. My favorites in Group C are TAU, Fenerbahce Ulker, Joventut, and Roma, although with Milic now at Olimpia, they might make some noise. Being that Alba Berlin is hosting the Final Four, they have an outside chance of finishing in the top four. In Group A I like Maccabi, Olympiacos, and Unicaja, but I don't know which of the other three teams can round out the top four because they are all capable.

It's pretty clear who will make it through in some groups, but there's always room for surprises, which can do away with all strategy and initial gameplans.

Real Madrid
After last year, when we were the top seed in our group and were still alive heading into the last game of the Top 16, our goal is make sure we overcome all obstacles in order to reach the later stages in the best condition possible. That said, we aren't thinking about anything but this first round and finishing among the top four in the best position possible.

Experience
A bad day against Maccabi ended our season last year, and we had been nearly perfect until then. I would love to rewind and play better in that game. However, I don't think any team planned a better regular season and Top 16 than us. I therefore don't think it was a bad experience, but rather something for us to build off of this year.

Rebuilding
We arrived fresh off the ULEB Cup last year and were very cautious heading into the first round. We had high hopes of making into the Top 16 and we did so as one seeds. That's why I say we have to take one day at a time. We rebuild based on team needs. We have people who have displayed talent with their previous teams prior to joining us. They will adjust to the backbone of this Real Madrid squad which has been in place for a few years.

Changes
Any changes that make the competition easier, more fair, and more agile are welcome. This restructuring benefits the spectator, who will now have a better grasp on each group. Many teams from each group used to qualify for the next round, but now you ensure that the four teams that do make it through can compete at a higher level.

Vistalegre
If you look at the teams who do well in this competition, we see that despite winning a lot on the road, they are very strong at home. In that regard, the last two seasons have proven how important Vistalegre can be in both the ACB and Europe. It has helped us compete to the max.