Despite the extensive blackout affecting Spain, Olympiakos’s flight to Madrid remains on schedule, and there are no issues anticipated for the match.
The Reds hold a significant advantage with two wins at SEF, but as Giorgos Bartzokas emphasized before departure, his team needs to elevate its performance on Real’s home court to secure a place in the Euroleague Final Four.
Here are the coach’s remarks:
Regarding the 2-0 lead and expectations for the third game: “I will focus solely on the upcoming match. We aim to improve our defense compared to the first ten minutes of the last game, maintain our solidity, strive for victory, and manage some minor injuries that have emerged. We hope these won’t impact the players’ availability.”
On the difference in Real’s home performance: “I don’t think it varies by team. They are an exceptionally talented team with experience, and their fans are notably demanding. However, this is true for arenas all across Europe today. We had a chance to win there during the regular season by performing well overall. We need to replicate that quality. Winning requires us to be at our best. We must capitalize on the opportunities Real provides and keep our emotions in check, avoiding extremes in excitement or discouragement during critical moments.”
On Olympiakos’s shooting challenges: “Indeed, we need to improve our shooting. Tavares’s presence near the basket complicates finishing plays close to the rim. Real’s style creates scoring openings for opponents as long as they execute their game. If we shoot well, we will win. Therefore, we must perform better in our shooting compared to the previous two games.”
On the significance of Walkup’s return: “It’s crucial to have a focused perimeter player ready to defend the opponent’s top scorer, whether it’s a guard or forward. The challenge with Walkup is that after being sidelined for three months, he cannot play continuously for 10-12 minutes; he needs to be substituted at five-minute intervals. In the last match, we extended his playtime, which needs careful management.”
Regarding the blackout in Spain: “We’ve been informed that the flight will proceed as planned.”
On priorities during preparation: “First and foremost, we must keep the team focused, as it’s tempting to think we have three chances. Our sole focus should be the first game. Unfortunately, human nature often leads to complacency after good results and a heightened sense of vigilance after bad ones. We need to ensure that we maintain a high level of performance without becoming relaxed. Our goal is to win the third game and allow for proper rest and preparation afterward. This is especially challenging given the opponent’s quality.”
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