Chus Mateo: 'The team did an amazing job'
'What the players are doing deserves a lot of credit,' said the coach after the Euroleague win over Virtus Bologna.
Real Madrid coach Chus Mateo analysed his side's win over Virtus Bologna at the WiZink Center: "We played a good game and worked very well from the beginning. In the second quarter we were impeccable defensively, making practically no mistakes against a very good team. We only lost five rebounds at our hoop and we continued to share the ball well with 28 assists.”
"The games are long. They played well, but we were able to play to our strengths more than Virtus because we were very alert. There were players who cancelled out their best offensive focal points and when everyone works together as a team you're much happier. The team did an amazing job. We scored 100 points and they scored 74."
That's what I'm happy about. It's another win and now it's time for the next one. We don't put a lot of emphasis on it, but what the boys are doing deserves a lot of credit because they're playing top teams and they're winning. I hope we know that the day we don't do things with enough effort, or don't respect the other team, we can lose. It's very difficult to stay focused for ninety games. Let's hope we continue to have that ambition and that when we get to the big moments, when titles are at stake, we can be at that mental level."
Keys to the moment of form
'Not to conform and to think that we can always do better, that what has been won is won and is in the past. Tomorrow we start working on another opponent and that ambition, that insatiable hunger, helps us to keep competing. If we're not like that, we're vulnerable and if you don't respect your work or your opponent... you're vulnerable. We have to be strong and keep going. We have the feeling that our opponents want to beat us because we haven't lost and we have to be very careful. There will be a day when things don't go so well. And on those days we've been able to win by one point and suffer. There are almost 90 games and the opponents are all at the highest level, both in the league and in the Euroleague.'
On Campazzo's game
'He's a fantastic team player, he has a huge desire to win and an unusual level of ambition. He never allows anyone to relax, and he passes that on to his teammates. But he's in an environment where everyone is demanding. We need to be fresh, ready to fight for big things. And he helps us, he guides us. Today he made 11 passes, he can rebound, he can defend and he knows how to play basketball... what more could I ask for? I'm delighted to have him and the other fifteen guys that are training with me.'
'Not to conform and to think that we can always do better, that what has been won is won and is in the past. Tomorrow we start working on another opponent and that ambition, that insatiable hunger, helps us to keep competing. If we're not like that, we're vulnerable and if you don't respect your work or your opponent... you're vulnerable. We have to be strong and keep going. We have the feeling that our opponents want to beat us because we haven't lost and we have to be very careful. There will be a day when things don't go so well. And on those days we've been able to win by one point and suffer. There are almost 90 games and the opponents are all at the highest level, both in the league and in the Euroleague.'
On Campazzo's game
'He's a fantastic team player, he has a huge desire to win and an unusual level of ambition. He never allows anyone to relax, and he passes that on to his teammates. But he's in an environment where everyone is demanding. We need to be fresh, ready to fight for big things. And he helps us, he guides us. Today he made 11 passes, he can rebound, he can defend and he knows how to play basketball... what more could I ask for? I'm delighted to have him and the other fifteen guys that are training with me.'