Chus Mateo: "Our defensive solidity will surely give us the edge in the game against Girona"

Chus Mateo spoke to Realmadrid TV the day before Real Madrid's clash against Girona, which will be played at the WiZink Center (Sunday, 12:30pm CET): "The important thing is to try and keep up the positive dynamic from Thursday's game. Another key is to respect the opposition. I think that sometimes we lack a little bit of seriousness when it comes to getting into a game from the start. Then when it comes to digging deep, we don't do enough. We have to be very serious about that because in the end it's only ourselves that we're hurting. We have to be very motivated and committed from the very first moment."
"Girona suffered two serious injuries in the last game, which could affect them. They managed to play a good game against Manresa, winning convincingly. They have physical players and very good one-on-one players, we will have to be a patient team defensively. Our defensive solidity will surely be what gives us the upper hand."
Securing another win
"We have to focus on our day-to-day work, the daily training sessions and also the games. The Panathinaikos game is behind us and we have to forget about it. We have to keep up the positive dynamic, individual and collective, and be consistent, thinking only about Girona and not beyond. We have to try to gradually improve on the start of the season, which hasn't been as good as we would have liked. Now we have to do things right."
Opportunities for young players
"We need them. Ndiaye is gaining more continuity and that's no surprise to anyone. He's grown a lot as a player over the years. He brings rebounds and points to the team, as well as his energy and intensity. Hugo is a great player and he will be for years to come. We're going to give him the right amount of game time to help him develop. We're going to help him, but he has to grow in an environment where all of the pressure isn't on him. It's always good to take it little by little."