Chus Mateo: "I'm happy for the win because it's not easy to beat Virtus away"
"We were able to keep our heads up until the end," explained the coach after the game.
Real Madrid coach Chus Mateo spoke after the team's away win over Virtus Bologna: "We played a good game in defence, especially at the start, taking into account their strengths. And we were able to keep our heads up until the end. It is not easy to beat Virtus away and for us it's a great victory after three defeats in a row. It allows us to take a breather before we face this weekend's game against Unicaja Malaga in LaLiga Endesa. I'm very happy about the win and now it's time to think about the next game."
"We knew that Virtus was also fighting to get into the playoffs and that it was going to be a very tough game. We were able to approach the game with a positive mindset, knowing that we couldn't lose possession and knowing their strengths. They have very good players, many of whom can score very easily."
Qualifying for the playoffs
"We now have 23 wins, which is the same as we finished last season's Regular Season. For me it's good news and it's good to know that the team has fought every day from the beginning of this season until the end. There are five games left to finish this stretch of the competition and we'll keep fighting."
Alocén's role
"I'm very happy with how he looks in training and his attitude. He's been working very hard. It's not easy to come back from an injury like his. The only thing I ask of him is to be ready to go out on the court when I need him and that's what he's doing. I'm very happy with him."