Barcelona hosts Olympiacos in EuroLeague Round 15, and ahead of the game, Spanish team head coach Xavi Pascual spoke to AS.
First Xavi Pascual spoke about the opponent Olympiacos and their playstyle:
Claim Now “They have been with their coach for a long time, they have a very defined DNA, and they play instinctively. The core of the team has been together for many years. They are capable of running and playing long possessions, scoring a lot in the final seconds of possessions. Defensively, they are very well organized and efficiently protect the paint. A top EuroLeague team with a roster that allows them to overcome injuries. They will make this game very difficult for us.”
On managing Barcelona as a team:
“We have many games. It’s crazy, but that’s how it is. We have to be able to handle this. There will be all kinds of games. Some games will make it very difficult to manage playing time, others we will handle better. We have to manage it very well to try to beat them. We have to take it one game at a time, but with this schedule, we need to try to keep track of what’s coming. We’ve worked hard in practice to build energy. That’s right; we have to be very strong at home. All together, with a full Palau, it pushes us to our limits. Olympiacos, when they play well, will make you look bad, but there are moments when you can take advantage. It will probably be a game with ups and downs. We have to stay close to winning.”
On the fans:
“This is Barca and we know how it works. I prefer to focus on the game. We must stay positive, and then we’ll see what happens. We have to go all the way. Barça cannot afford to think we cannot win. Time will tell, that’s it. But we must stay positive. Barça must strive to win every title. We are still in that fight. The most important thing is that everyone is healthy; otherwise, it will be very difficult.”
On mental preparation for the game:
“We are professionals. You have to think about the next thing, and the next thing is Olympiacos. Then Manresa, Paris… There’s no reason to lose focus. We don’t expect anyone to play well seven games in a row, but we are a team. What I expect from all players is to always stay positive and contribute positively. You can have a bad night, but you can make up for it in other aspects of the game. You must be fully present at all times, accepting that you can win or lose, but you cannot just give everything away.”
On progress since his arrival:
“Since my arrival, I am very happy. We have laid the foundations of discipline, respect, and hard work. We are definitely halfway there. We still have a lot to improve, but we are on the right path. We are a team that executes transitions well, which is very important. We must significantly improve our defense in the final seconds, which is still weak. We are on the right track; we just need to be a bit more organized. We are getting better, but we still have a long way to go.”
On Sasha Vezenkov:
“He is an impressive player. He came here thanks to Joan Creus’ insistence and it was absolutely the right decision. He has been a great reinforcement, and he has proven it. He has enormous talent, is extremely intelligent, and truly a good guy. He is very difficult to defend. I have very fond memories of him.”
INTERVIEWS:
- Aleksa Avramovic: Defense wins championships – for sure!
- Nenad Dimitrijevic: It’s sad for the EuroLeague and Partizan that Zeljko Obradovic left
- Ilona Korstin: We are in contact with both the EuroLeague and the NBA, we are present in all meetings
- Bogdan Tanjevic: The main difference between Partizan and Crvena Zvezda – domestic players still lead the way
- Nicolo Melli: We had no-phone rules with Zeljko Obradovic; There was interest from Partizan
- Bo McCalebb: How can you not respect Zeljko Obradovic? My only regret is that I didn’t listen to him enough
