Scariolo: “It's an important game in terms of the league table”
“We'll have to be solid, focused and swtiched on at all times, because Barcelona is a great team,” underlined the coach ahead of the Clásico.
Sergio Scariolo spoke to the media ahead of Real Madrid vs Barcelona in EuroLeague Round 22 (Friday, 8:45 pm CET. The coach discussed the Clásico at the Movistar Arena: “It’s a tough game against a great team, great players and a great coach. It’s important for the league table because there’s very little between us. Getting a 2-0 record against a direct rival would be significant when it comes to tight finishes with many teams involved.”
“In the last two Clásicos we averaged over 100 points, and we hope that doesn’t happen again. Rebounding is clearly key. Over there we took 14 more rebounds and won, and here they did it and won the game. That’s been the deciding factor and it’s highly likely it will be again.”
Team's condition
“Physically we’re in good shape and mentally very strong. These games are a bit like islands, where they have a bigger impact than the rest — we don’t ignore that. I think the team is in a good place.”
The last Clásico
“The reference points are the very high point scoring, which will probably drop as the teams know each other better, and the importance of rebounding. Then there’s always something new or surprising. We need to stay on high alert throughout the game.”
Importance of the clash
“Mainly for the standings. Catching a direct rival and doing it with a 2-0 record would be great. But we know it’s going to be very tough, we’ll need to be solid, focused and tough. It’s an important game, like all games against teams with similar records.”
Physical condition
“Pretty good. At this stage there are always minor issues, but how we managed the early months has helped us avoid serious problems and fatigue. We’ll decide the roster later.”
A special game
“You can feel all that comes with it. s around it. There’s always that rivalry that adds color, but I prefer to focus on the fact that it’s a game against a very good, experienced team.”
European basketball and whether this could be the last EuroLeague Clásico
“I haven’t thought about it. I understand there’s room to join forces rather than create conflict. I’ve been here many years and I enjoy this EuroLeague, but I also had three fantastic years in the NBA, where I appreciated their approach. Anything that adds rather than subtracts is good for European basketball.”
On Brizuela and Vesely
“We have to take them into account. They’re great, decisive players. Our identity must remain unchanged, but our game plan definitely considers them.”