A very interesting interview was given to Eurohoops by Dino Mitoglou. The international forward of Panathinaikos spoke about this year’s course of the team, the excellent atmosphere that exists between the players and the goals of the season.
At the same time, he referred to the great misfortune of the “seven-star”, Matias Lessorexpressing his optimism that the French center will come out stronger than injury who suffered and will return fiercer.
In detail what he said:
On whether there is any goal of the opponents, due to the conquest of the Euroleague:
“Of course there is. This is also the different approach of the opponents and in general of all those who play us, because it is completely normal. They play with the European champion and the treatment is not at all the same as last year. Everyone wants to beat us, everyone plays much more competitively and sees us even more competitively.”
As to whether this is motivation, scaremongering or something else:
“I think that everyone should understand that the competition has changed and that we were at the top last year and now everyone wants to take us down from the top. It is perfectly normal when you play at a high level and that these champions are crowned. So they have to understand their positions, where they are, what team they play for and understand their role. I think you have to be properly prepared physically and emotionally in your mind in general, because the game is now in your mind.”
On whether the players are talking about the Final 4:
“No, we don’t talk about it, we don’t even think about it. We clearly go game by game. This is our mentality, we have learned like professionals every day we are on the pitch to give 100% and play match by match. So whether we win or lose, for us it’s a routine and we have to work hard. So the Final 4 so to speak is too far away, it shouldn’t be on our mind. We have to finish as high as possible in the regular season, then look at the playoffs and then the Final 4.”
On what is the effect of Ergin Ataman on the Panathinaikos organization:
“He’s obviously a great coach, very impulsive as a person and with many strong emotions. In general you can understand what he is thinking and what not, he is very outgoing, although as a person he is not at all, but his movements clearly show what he wants. Our collaboration with him is excellent, I know exactly what he wants and what he asks for, he demands that you come in and play, you are a professional and we are all on the same page.”
On what’s more draining for him, being a starter or coming off the bench:
“The two situations are completely different, but each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. It mainly depends on the team how the game will start, but when you come off the bench you can also be the game changer. I personally have no problem with that, I’m very open and either start as a starter or come off the benchI want to give 100% and help the team win. It might have mattered when I was younger, but now it doesn’t.”
On whether unselfish players like Juancho have gathered in the team:
“I believe that we have people with great personalities, who have learned to star at the highest level. Our dressing room is great, there’s great chemistryno player has ever created anything, so I’m very happy and lucky to live in these situations. I also have to mention that the competition is very high, which is perfectly normal, but as you said, we are all very good children. I’m glad that the level of my teammates is quite high in this part and they are very professional.”
On whether he envisions himself lifting a trophy in the future:
“Of course, that’s the goal. To be in a team that has to star everywhere and of course the goals are titles and victories”.
On how much this whole doping story has changed him as a person and as a professional:
“I was forced to mature faster than I should have. I experienced some situations that some athletes see when they stop playing basketball. So all this makes you think about a lot of things, to mature, to change some things around you, so I think I changed very quickly and matured in a lot of things.”
On the fact that he is not active on social media and if it doesn’t work for him:
“It’s always like Dino. I would like to upload and post something when my team is doing well. But when it’s not going well, I prefer to be quiet, to have my peace and generally I’m not the type to upload something when I go out to eat. I consider myself more serious and different from those things, so it’s about how the team is going and when I feel like it I’ll post something.”
On the shocking injury of Matias Lessor:
“I was the first to see it. It’s something incredibly unpleasant. Unfortunately, at our level and in our area, these moments exist. All the players I think went and visited him, some at the hospital and some at his house, like me. I saw him very happy, he was fine, we wish him the best, he knows we are by his side, as is the organization. Unfortunately these moments exist and you just have to stay strong. I think this will only do good for Matias and he will become even stronger, he will sit very calmly, watch a lot of basketball, think for himself, see some things much differently and come back even more of a beast than , what was. Believe it and keep it.”
On whether there will be any players who will step up before Lessor’s injury:
“Certainly Matias had a very big leading role in our team, so necessarily some players have to come forward and star”.
On what the locker room is like without Matias:
“In the beginning, i.e. the first three days, it was very quiet. Everyone knew what happened, the climate was very heavy. Christmas helped somewhat, even the days we had off for the New Year, but we still think about it very strongly.”
As for whether it’s something the Champions shirts all did together:
“These shirts after we won the championship, Nan came and gave us all this shirt as a gift. Another made it white and another made it black. I found her in my dressing room after the national team, because they probably came after the championship. Excellent initiative and I have worn it too many times in my house.”
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
