Chus Mateo: “We'll have to fight until the end to beat Panathinaikos”
“The game will be similar to the one against Olympiacos and we'll try to do our jobs,” said Deck.
After defeating Olympiacos, Real Madrid now face another stern test in Greece. Chus Mateo and Deck spoke on Realmadrid TV ahead of the clash in round 13 of the EuroLeague against Panathinaikos (Thursday, 8.15pm CET). The coach had the following to say: “The Greek fans always get behind their team passionately and are always very close to the court. It isn't easy to beat them at their home and I expect a game similar to the one against Olympiacos, we'll have to fight until the end. We cannot afford to loose our tempo in the game. The style of the teams is different, but we'll be up against a combative side who are coming off the back of a defeat in Istanbul and will want to make amends in front of their home fans.”
“Victories like the one against Olympiacos show the chemistry of the team, the day-to-day work and how the players interpret the game plan. It gives us the confidence to keep working the way we've been working.”
Musa
“The players know each other well and know when to look for a teammate. They found him very effectively in the third quarter, which is when he hit some decisive shots to gain confidence. That helped us a lot and it's not easy to score those shots in such a tight arena. What helped us win the most was the whole team's work. We defended really well and our rebounding improved in the second half.”
Deck: “We have to be focussed from the start”
“It'll be a very similar game to the Olympiacos match. We'll try to do our jobs. Winning a game like yesterday's is difficult and it means that tomorrow we'll have the same desire or even more.”
“We have to be focused from the start and dominate the rebound well in defence to find the best options in attack. We have to forget what we've been doing and not think about the games we've won. It makes a big difference that any player can be the star of the match in every game.”