Georgios Bartzokas has previewed the match for the fourth round of the EuroLeague in which Olympiacos will host Partizan (Thursday, 20:15).
The Greek coach emphasized that numerous injuries are causing significant problems for his team, which hasn’t had a full team training session for a long time.
“Win or lose, it’s not the end of the world. Everyone loses in the EuroLeague, and there will be many more losses. We have a tough schedule and the task to ‘survive’ the situation we are in. We don’t have time to practice; we haven’t had a single training session with the full team. We will give our all in this period and try to achieve as many victories as possible,” said Georgios Bartzokas, he added:
“I have great confidence in this team; I believe we are good. Every fan must understand our philosophy, which is to focus solely on the next game, regardless of victory or defeat. When we are completely assembled and healthy, we will play well.”
The good news for the red-and-white team from Piraeus is that Nigel Williams-Goss will be in the lineup against the “Black-and-White Steamroller.”
“Williams-Goss will play; he has undergone individual preparation, but we decided to rest him against Milan. It means a lot to us that he will play, but as I mentioned, he hasn’t had a single training session with the team. We had the same situation with Luka Sikma, who joined the field yesterday.”
Georgios Bartzokas called on the fans to support the team in the coming period.
“It’s a tough period, and we need support. In the years behind us, we have achieved a lot, and I have no doubt that we will achieve even more in the future. It’s important that we all stick together, don’t worry, and don’t doubt our capabilities.”
In conclusion, the Greek coach also discussed the Partizan team.
“Partizan is a team that plays with great intensity, especially on their home turf, where they have the support of their fans. They have their strengths, but also some weaknesses. No team is in top form right now. You can see many mistakes in both the offensive and defensive aspects. The same goes for us. No team had normal preparations due to players being at the World Cup,” said Bartzokas, concluding:
“Partizan is in the same situation. They are a team that reflects their coach’s character. They simply manage the situation. They lost at home to Barcelona, so they will come to play more decisively against us. I believe we will do the same.”