By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Navigating the preliminary round without head coach Alex Mumbru, Germany improved to 2-0 in Group B of EuroBasket 2025 with a comfortable win, 105-83, over Sweden on Friday.
Following the meeting in Tampere’s Nokia Arena, interim head coach Alan Ibrahimagic shared his perspective on his adjusted role with the senior national team of Germany.
“With these circumstances, it is tough,” the 47-year-old Serbian coach mentioned during the postgame press conference, “I am the assistant coach. We are kind of waiting for the head coach to come back. That’s not easy, trying to do the best we can. But from my personal standpoint, I can rely on this unbelievable group of people.”
“We are doing this now as a group, with the rest of the coaching staff. We are always in contact with him, before the games, after the games. He watches the games and the opponents,” he described communication with the 46-year-old Spanish tactician, “He’s involved in everything, but not the game itself, unfortunately.”
“Everyone from our staff, doctors, but also assistant coaches, is going to visit him at the hospital regularly. We hope this won’t be necessary for very long, and he will be back,” added Ibrahimagic.
Mikko Riipinen, the head coach of Sweden, shared positive thoughts on hospitalized Mumbru.
“I would like to send our ‘get well soon’ to Germany’s head coach Alex Mumbru from the whole Swedish Basketball Federation,” he said, “We sincerely hope he’s doing better and gets back to the court soon.”
Pelle Larsson and Simon Birgander were ruled out from the Gameday 2 affair due to illness. “We were missing two very important players today,” said Riipinen.
Both players are questionable to play in the third of five games in Finland, against Great Britain on Saturday.
Moving forward, Germany will face Lithuania, with Johannes Voigtmann expected to play after sitting out against Sweden with knee issues.
Photo Credit: FIBA