Kalaitzakis: “We want the medal very much – we have to show who we are”

Speaking to the press representatives one day before her big game National Against Finland for the small final of Eurobasket 2025, the Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, He stood, among other things, on the racing profile of our opponents.

At the same time, the Panathinaikos forward said that despite the bad appearance in the semifinals with Turkey, our country has the opportunity to claim its first medal after 16 years and everyone in the “blue -white” camp are ready to show who they really are.

In detail what he said:

“We have a great opportunity, a very big motivation. We will play for a medal we have seen as a country for 16 years. When the tournament started if someone told us that we would play the last game with Finland for the medal, surely almost everyone would get it. It is probably the most important game in the tournament, it’s a good team, it hasn’t reached the accident. They run the stadium, shoot most of the three -pointers from all teams. They don’t have big bodies to stop John, but it’s a dangerous team with a lot of players who shoot everyone, lower the ball. We have to be careful enough ».

For tomorrow’s match may be the last of Sluka and if they feel obliged to bring the medal:

“We don’t think so. In the back of my mind, because we are teammates in Panathinaikos, there is. I am sure that he too will want to close his cycle with the National with a medal on the chest he misses from his palmar. He will give it all and he will follow him the younger ones. We really want to leave tomorrow. Turkey yesterday was superior to us, but we have the opportunity to leave the winners and with a medal. “

On whether they were hurt by the way of defeat by Turkey:

“And with a point to lose the same feeling we would have when you arrived before the final. A defeat that, as it came, hurts us, we could not react, we were in the match, we accepted two -digit differences from early on, and Osmani made his life match. We were not concentrated at all, we didn’t touch them in the defense. Unfortunately we made our worst game in “4” and this gives us an opportunity to fight for a medal tomorrow ».

“Throughout the tournament we have shown from what metal we are made. The little final will show a lot. We want the medal very much, we have to show character. We come from a great defeat in our history as a country. We have to show who we are … The good in all this, having made our worst game in the semifinals, is that we have the opportunity to fight for a medal. The coach told us that the last time the national team fought for a medal was 16 years ago. We all remember it even if it was 3rd place. We are in the same position, we want to do it and so our goal is to put as many young children as possible on the pitch and build the younger generation. “.