By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Ahead of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Quarterfinals Game 5 between FC Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona, Vladimir Lucic talked to Serbian outlet Mozzart Sport about the battle of the head coaches and more regarding the best-of-five series.
“Both want to be leaders, and are obsessed with basketball and details,” the Serbian compared Barca boss Sarunas Jasikevicius to the head coach of his own team Andrea Trinchieri, after ranking them among the best play-callers from the Old Continent, “I have not worked under Saras myself but talked with players working with him and have been able to draw similarities between him and Andrea.”
The Munich outfit finished the Regular Season in eighth place and thus received top-seeded Barcelona in the Playoffs. After stealing the home-court advantage in Game 2, Trinchieri’s side dropped it in Game 3 but bounced back in Game 4 to force Game 5. The win-or-go-home contest will take place at Palau Blaugrana tomorrow, Tuesday.
“It was not easy to play a good game, only two days after such a tough loss. Especially because we expected to win Game 3 after tying the series at one win apiece,” mentioned Lucic on last week’s encounters with the Catalonia giant.
Appearing in a Game 5 of the 2021 EuroLeague Playoffs provides a do-or-die experience in Europe’s premier continental club competition to Lucic and the teammates surviving roster adjustments since the best-of-five series opposite AX Armani Exchange Milan. In last year’s Game 5, the Serbian forward went for eight points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals but Shavon Shields scoring 34 points led the hosts to the Final Four.
“Our team is still a young team, despite the success of recent seasons. We have yet to reach the level of the top European clubs,” he said regarding the overall team status of Bayern.
“We have a chance to fight in one more game and potentially advance to the Final Four,” he added. His side will be missing both Corey Walden (back) and Darrun Hilliard (collarbone) in Game 5.
Lucic, 32, has enjoyed a couple of EuroLeague personal-best stats against Barca. Six assists in March 2019 and three steals last season are both career-highs.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net