Chus Mateo: "It's very important to get the playoffs off to a good start"

Chus Mateo answered the media's questions prior to the first game of the Endesa League quarter-final against Gran Canaria (Wednesday, 8:30pm). The coach said: "It's very important to get the playoffs off to a good start. We know exactly what we're up against and we have to be focused, energetic and willing to make sacrifices right to the end. We know it's going to be a tough, long game".

"We're not really thinking about the Euroleague Final Four at the moment. It's unavoidable to consider that we've qualified, but we have to respect our opponents and the fact that it's the quarter-finals in the league, which is the strongest in the whole of Europe. This game requires focus and preparation, playing against a side who have played at an exceptional level all year. To save ourselves would not be fair on the work we've done so far, it would be a mistake. We have to play at our best".

Schedule
"We can't make excuses, we can't change the calendar or think about what would be better. It is what it is. The best thing we can do is to think that we have to take everything as it comes".

Roster
"Everyone is available apart from Deck. Causeur, who was out with an illness last week, is already back".

A long season
"We have to manage it well. At the start of the season, we're aware of what we have to deal with. That's why we always try to value the effort made by the players and to have a big squad that we can rotate. When others are on holiday, we're still fighting to win and this requires certain highs and lows".

Motivation
"You can't always maintain it. Some days it's harder for the team and others when it's easier to get the motivation. You have to try to take care of the workload, so that no one picks up too many minutes. We were a little bit weak at the end of the season last year and there were a lot of injuries".

The opposition
"We lost on the island because Gran Canaria played really well, just like the rest of the year. They're a fearsome opponent. We had some injuries, but they beat us playing very well. You have to respect a opponent that has a lot of talent from the outside. They have a lot of important players and strengths".

The absence of Deck
"We're going to really miss him, not just on the court. Even though he's reserved, the locker room loves him. If there's one thing I can say to those who are still healthy, it's that we need to put in an extra effort because Gabi isn't with us. One thing we want him to see is that we appreciate all the work he's done previously. He's brought us this far with an extraordinary job. He is a rock for us. But we can make up for him with the strength of the team".