Chus Mateo: "We want to work hard, compete and beat KK Crvena zvezda"
"We have to finish off on a high, get ready for the playoffs and keep our levels up," underlined Tavares.
Chus Mateo and Tavares spoke to the press on the eve of the clash between Real Madrid and KK Crvena zvezda at the WiZink Center. The coach assessed the EuroLeague Round 32 matchup (8:30pm CEST): "We've already done the job in the EuroLeague so that allows us to relax a little. This game will be a reminder of how hard the competition is and how well we've played this year. To finish top says a lot about our efforts in such a long and demanding competition. I might well have everyone available but we'll see who I pick. We want to work hard, compete well and win the game but we have to be smart and understand how important Sunday's game is."
"The team is heading into the closing stretch of the season with motivation sky high because we're at the top. It's in our nature to be ambitious and aspire to win the lot, we know how difficult that is and it motivates us. Our biggest driver, the thing that breeds energy, is performing at the top level."
The WiZink Center
"It's always great to play at home in front of our fans. We feel so comfortable at the Wizink. When they get behind us, it's one of the best courts around and whenever we've needed our fans, they've always stepped up to the plate. So we want to give it our all in front of our people because we know that when we need them, like we did last year in the playoffs or this season too when we had four overtimes, they get you over the line. They're always there, but even more so in the tough moments."
Tavares: "We have to win every game"
"We have to finish off on a high, get ready for the playoffs and keep our levels up ahead of the hardest games. It's a banana skin but we want to win every game and use this to keep up our good run and boost our confidence moving forward. We have no preference in our playoff opponent. We have to be prepared and focused to play against whoever we get. All of them will give it everything, there are no easy games."
His future
"My goal is to fight to stay at Real Madrid, but you can't predict the future. For now, I have to be as well prepared as possible to help the team win trophies and then we'll see what happens."