THE Chus Mateo invites everyone to Real to leave behind its conquest Cup ten days ago and to focus on Panathinaikos, which he considers highly as an opponent ahead of tomorrow’s match between the two teams in Madrid.
“The most important thing is to stay focused. Everyone comes from a different week. Some had commitments with their national teams and we will have to be focused for 40 minutes against a team that is getting better and better. They are an opponent that pushes you to the limit and they play better as a team. Panathinaikos’ position in the standings shows this improvement. We should forget about winning the Cup and focus on the Euroleague, where we should be at 100% mentally. Playing in front of an audience motivates us, unites us and we want to give them joy. We are on a good winning streak at home and we want to keep the excitement of those coming to see us going“, emphasized the Spanish coach.
Referring to Panathinaikos, he noted:They are a very experienced team with top quality players. They are constantly improving and their coach is doing a great job. Panathinaikos claims a place in the playoffs and in the Final 4».
As for the mathematical qualification of his team with a win in the playoffs, he said:If we win, it will certainly be a reward, but we have to continue our work. We only look at the short term and know that this journey takes one step at a time. We are confident because of our position as well, but we must not let it slip from our hands».
Regarding winning the Cup, he emphasized: “The Cup is in the past, it’s ours, but it doesn’t count anymore. The trophy gives you peace of mind, we played good basketball overall, but we always have the pressure because of the club and the crowd behind us. We did well in the first part of the season because we looked at each game individually. The team never loses its thirst and it is not going to do so now. Let’s go for our next goals and we will fight for them. The first is to secure qualification for the playoffs».
Source: Sport Fm
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