Chus Mateo: “It was a big win at a court that is always difficult"
“We knew it was a difficult game just two days before the EuroLeague playoff but the team did really well," underlined Deck following the win over Casademont Zaragoza.
Chus Mateo and Deck discussed Real Madrid's win over Casademont Zaragoza on matchday 30 in the League. The coach explained: "It was a good win at a court which is always difficult. We were good at the back in spells but I'm pleased because it was a dangerous matchup. We've got Tuesday's game in our heads. Now we can really focus on it. We're starting the EuroLeague playoff and that's hugely important for us."
“We were a bit sloppy early on in the game but we defended pretty well. We really went for it. We were very strong defensively in the second quarter and that helped us build up a lead which we were able to manage well. We had to find that competitive edge. We had respect for the opposition and defended well to bring down their percentages. It's a court where teams like Unicaja and Barcelona have lost, so we should be proud of a big win."
EuroLeague playoff
“We have to be prepared, ready to give it our all and show greater focus than we did in certain moments, because now we're starting out in something we really want to win. The players often say I get on their nerves, tell me to leave them alone and say they understand where they are and the expectations. Either way, we have that professional edge that sees us worry about every aspect of the game and I would rather be guilty of talking about it too much."
Deck: “We're heading into the playoff in the best possible shape”
“We knew it was a difficult game just two days before the EuroLeague playoff but the team did really well, we looked focused and came here to win. We were solid from the first minute and now we turn our attentions to what's coming up. We're heading into it in the best possible shape and everyone is fit, which is hugely important, so let's see what happens."