Ioannis Sfairopoulos has shared his expectations ahead of the EuroLeague Round 23 game between Crvena Zvezda and Alba Berlin.
For this game, Crvena Zvezda will be without Milos Teodosic, while Nemanja Nedovic will be on the plane, and the decision on his participation will be made on the day of the game.
The Greek coach outlined his expectations for this game, emphasizing that the key to the match is for Crvena Zvezda to control the tempo.
“We are facing a team that plays at a fast pace at home. We want to control the flow of the game. We will play our game both defensively and offensively. We are playing against a team that has proven many times that they are very good, showing their value and playing with a lot of enthusiasm. We have to adapt and be ready to fight for every ball, both in offense and defense,” began Ioannis Sfairopoulos.
Crvena Zvezda is facing several injury problems, with Milos Teodosic, Nikola Topic, and Nemanja Nedovic all being injured, and it’s clear that much of Crvena Zvezda’s gameplay depends on them.
“Teodosic won’t play, he won’t travel with the team. He’s not ready yet, he started training, but not yet with the team. Nedovic is training today for the first time since the injury, we’ll see how it goes. He is traveling with the team, but the decision on his participation will be made on the day of the game. We think he won’t be 100% ready for this game. Regarding Nikola Topic, he will start running in the next few days, and then slowly, we will take it day by day.”
The latest addition to Crvena Zvezda, Javonte Smart, has played only two games for the team but has already shown his ability to contribute.
“At the beginning, I must say he has the right mindset, and that is crucial. He is a player who can offer us a lot on both ends of the court. He wants to learn, everyone knows it’s his first time leaving the U.S. The lifestyle here is different from what he’s used to, so he will first have to adapt to that, and then to basketball. I am very happy with his level of readiness so far, I am satisfied with how he is adapting. He needs a few more weeks to adapt, and only then will he be at his best.”
The Greek coach also commented on the photo from the Radivoj Korac Cup draw, where he is pictured with Partizan’s head coach, Zeljko Obradovic.
“I know how important the games between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan are. There is a significant history in these duels. These are two teams representing Serbia in recent years. The most important thing that all fans must understand – this is just a sport. Of course, we all want our team to win, both Zeljko and I, but at the end of the day, we must be civilized. There is no need for violence, and we, as coaches, must set a good example for everyone. For me, being a foreigner, this is very important as I represent a renowned club, and I want it to always be in the right way.”
Regarding whether Javonte Smart is the last addition to Crvena Zvezda, Ioannis Sfairopoulos responded that even he doesn’t have the answer to that question.
“Who knows? I can’t answer this question. We continue to work, we must be focused. We certainly won’t bring in a player who can’t help us in the right way. If we find a player who can make a difference, I’ll talk to the management, but there aren’t too many players on the market.”
On potential trades in the EuroLeague, the coach of Crvena Zvezda has a positive opinion.
“I think we have to talk about it and adapt to all those rules and adjust them to European rules. Why not do that.”