Chus Mateo: "The EuroLeague is tough every year and the demands are brutal"
“We have a great opportunity this week to pick up wins away from home and we're going to try and take advantage," underlined Rathan-Mayes.
Chus Mateo and Rathan-Mayes spoke prior to the EuroLeague round six clash between Olympiacos and Real Madrid (Tuesday, 8:15pm CET). The coach said: "We will have to pay close enough attention to a side that has always been very solid. They're a team with a special grandeur and they're usually in the final stages of the Euroleague. In terms of roster, tradition, history and standard of play, they'll be at the top of the table for sure. We are only focusing on what's coming tomorrow and not on the week".
“We've played better, we've really improved defensively. It's going to be a long, hard year. We have to make it to the decisive run in good form so we can handle the decisive games. Now it's about being as high up the table as possible to make the most of the benefits of having a good Regular Season campaign. That's our aim in the mid-to-long-term."
Competition in the EuroLeague
“Every year it feels like we're in the most exciting, toughest EuroLeague campaign yet, but it's so hard every year. The demands are brutal and it's not easy to compete at a high level all the time because you get opponents who are sitting in the lower half of the table who shouldn't be there."
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“We're heading to Athens with the same squad we've had in recent days, there's nothing new to report."
Olympiacos' current form
“It's a logical evolution, it's to be expected of a team who are bedding in new players. Vezenkov isn't new because he's been there before but there are other guys who are important to them and they have to settle into the team's dynamics, that takes time. They're opponents who always make life hard for you, and regardless of their current form, I guarantee they'll be towards the top of the table come the end of the season.”
On Hugo González
“Everything takes its time. There are players who are able to settle in quicker, while others might take longer. The worst thing that can happen to a young lad is to set the expectations too high. We don't want to be asking too much of anyone. He's a very good player and I have to try and get the best out of him, so I wouldn't be doing him any favours by placing too many demands on his shoulders. I put him in because I believe he can contribute to the team and help us out. I'm not doing anything unusual. I'm playing a good basketball player. I don't look at whether he's young or old. Same goes for Ndiaye. Nobody is talking about how young he is anymore. That's what we want to achieve with Hugo. He's a fantastic player and there will be days he doesn't play and others where he gets 30 minutes, it's all part of the process."
Rathan-Mayes: “We're playing some great defense"
“We've got a hugely demanding week, first with the game against Olympiacos which will be really tough. They've lost two games on the road and they'll be ready to take us on, but we're hungry too. We have a great opportunity this week to pick up wins away from home and we're going to try and take advantage.”
Defense
“We're playing some great defense. That's key. We know if we're strong at the back, we build our offense better. These games will be a good test and we're going to try and keep the level up."
His feelings
“I'm settling in and improving all the time. I work hard to do that in every training session and every game, it's a process. My teammates are helping me, they've got my back."