Vanja Marinkovic, in a conversation with “Mozzart Sport,” talked about the EuroLeague showdown between Baskonia and Partizan.
The Serbian international is the youngest captain in Partizan’s history, and now he’s facing a duel against the team where he matured into a serious player. That’s how he began the discussion.
“I’ve been with the club for a long time. There are always more emotions when I play against Partizan than when I play against any other team. In terms of preparation, the match is like any other. It’s a very important game for us due to our position in the standings, as well as the player roster because we’ve had injury problems. So, it’s crucial that we prepare as well as possible,” Marinkovic stated.
Just before the game, Baskonia decided to end its cooperation with Joan Penarroyo. For the fourth time in his career, Dusko Ivanovic, who had a previous stint with Crvena Zvezda, took his place.
“We’ve had two training sessions with Dusko so far. We had Monday off, and on Tuesday, he came, and we worked together. We managed to go through the practices, even though we have injury issues. I don’t yet know in what lineup we’ll enter the match, but I hope it will be full. I’m sure there will be a lot of local fans who want to greet Dusko Ivanovic.
Certainly, Coach Ivanovic knows Partizan better than we do. However, that doesn’t have to mean anything. He didn’t play against Partizan because he left a week earlier, but I’m sure it will be an extra motivation for him. Still, I think emotions shouldn’t come into play in this match,” said Vanja Marinkovic.
About the two “eternal” derbies
“I honestly expected Partizan to win. Especially in the ABA League, and it was about time to achieve that victory in the EuroLeague in front of the home fans. I watched those games. Partizan is a good team. I’m glad that Aleksa Avramovic and Ognjen Jaramaz, the guys I know, are playing well, and of course, I’m happy for the club.”