Chus Mateo: “This victory belongs to the players and the fans”
“We were a team with plenty of heart, just like Efes,” added the Real Madrid coach.
Chus Mateo spoke in the press room after the sensational victory over Anadolu Efes at the WiZink Center. The coach had the following to say: “I can't talk about numbers. We have to talk about the fact that we were a team with plenty of heart, just like Efes. Neither team wanted to leave the court and we both wanted to win. We really wanted to win and we fought until the end. The WiZink was incredible and helped us to stay in the game and fight against them. This victory belongs to the players and the fans.”
“The lesson learned is that we always want to fight and battle. We may play better or worse, but we always fight. That shows the ambition of this team, which proves to me every day that it wants more and more.”
Heart and character
“The team has always had faith and believed. We have character and that says so much about a winning team. A lot of things happen at Real Madrid and here we have a lot of heart. It's something to take your hat off to. Anadolu Efes also deserved to win. It was a great match for the spectators and I'm glad that the victory went our way. The important thing is that it can provide the team with peace of mind and a certain voice to get them to react.”
Extra effort
“None of my players are going to be able to sleep because it was a hell of a game. For the crowd to go away with a 130-126 win is a gift on the Twelfth Night. This effort may affect the next game, but the mind sometimes gives you an extra battery. My players aren't superheroes because with this schedule it's impossible to be at 100%.”