Chus Mateo: “Every team wants to beat Real Madrid and even more so if we're champions'
“We'll try to perform well against Baskonia and get off to a good start,” said the coach.
Chus Mateo spoke in the press conference ahead of Real Madrid‘s EuroLeague opener, which sees the Whites take on Baskonia at the Buesa Arena on Friday 8.30pm CEST: “People seem to be more interested in beating someone with a bigger name like Real Madrid and last year's champions. We know that everyone wants to beat Real Madrid and we'll try to do well. We have to be prepared, as this is something that is intrinsic to the club.”
“Ndiaye has had to go to Senegal and hasn't been with us. Tavares is still recovering and won't be with us. Neither will Deck. The season is very long and these situations are going to occur, but we're not making excuses and we'll try to do well without them. We'll try to step up our efforts and be more competitive so that their absences aren't noted, even though they're significant absentees. Diagne is likely to come in.”
“Ndiaye has had to go to Senegal and hasn't been with us. Tavares is still recovering and won't be with us. Neither will Deck. The season is very long and these situations are going to occur, but we're not making excuses and we'll try to do well without them. We'll try to step up our efforts and be more competitive so that their absences aren't noted, even though they're significant absentees. Diagne is likely to come in.”
EuroLeague at its best
“On the face of it, the teams seem to have strengthened well and there's a high level of competitiveness. Last year was a very competitive season, very tough, and we managed to win it. It's a wild competition that takes no prisoners. If you're not prepared, anyone can beat you and you can beat anyone. It's a very beautiful competition for the fans and a tough one for us. We'll have to be at our best on every court.”
Baskonia
“Their style of play is similar to last season. They're a team that defends strongly, wants to run and at home they play these aspects particularly well. They have kept part of last year's squad and with Howard as a focal point on the offensive end, who is a game changer because of his individual quality. We'll try to perform well as a unit and get off to a good start in the EuroLeague. It's the start of a competition that we respect greatly and we want to be as high up as possible.”
Condolences
“I would like to express our condolences for the death of the mother of Eli John, who's a lad we’re very fond of.”
“On the face of it, the teams seem to have strengthened well and there's a high level of competitiveness. Last year was a very competitive season, very tough, and we managed to win it. It's a wild competition that takes no prisoners. If you're not prepared, anyone can beat you and you can beat anyone. It's a very beautiful competition for the fans and a tough one for us. We'll have to be at our best on every court.”
Baskonia
“Their style of play is similar to last season. They're a team that defends strongly, wants to run and at home they play these aspects particularly well. They have kept part of last year's squad and with Howard as a focal point on the offensive end, who is a game changer because of his individual quality. We'll try to perform well as a unit and get off to a good start in the EuroLeague. It's the start of a competition that we respect greatly and we want to be as high up as possible.”
Condolences
“I would like to express our condolences for the death of the mother of Eli John, who's a lad we’re very fond of.”