By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid have found themselves with their backs against the wall other times in the past in the EuroLeague Playoffs. Two years ago, for example, when they lost the first two games against Partizan Belgrade at home, in the Spanish capital.
The present doesn’t mention the Serbian powerhouse, but the 1st seed from this year’s EuroLeague Regular Season, Olympiacos. The Greeks are up 2-0, and they need just one road victory to officially make themselves into the 2025 Final Four, set to be played in Abu Dhabi.
Moments after losing Game 2 in Piraeus, Facundo Campazzo spoke to Eurohoops and the rest of the media in the mixed zone, underlining the team’s urgency.
“We need to improve right now, we need to improve from now to tomorrow. This kind of game is about ball for ball. It’s just details, so we gotta be smart in those details, just try to make the right decision, and be brave. At this kind of moment, in the last minute, you gotta be brave and play hard,” he said.
“Tuesday is our next final, our next step. It’s not going to be easy. We are playing against one of the best teams in the EuroLeague. But we’ve got to stay motivated, stay together more in this moment, and play like we used to play in this kind of situation,” Campazzo commented.
What could have been Real Madrid‘s problem in Piraeus thus far? Probably losing the edge in the clutch. “I think that during this season, we didn’t do a good job in finishing the games. We had some problems during the season. I can tell you a lot of games we lost in the last two minutes,” he touched.
As said, Real Madrid players aren’t new to this kind of situation, with such high pressure. “We gotta put our heads up, stay together, be positive. This team already changed the series two years ago, we have to think positively,” the Argentinian point guard shared.
“We have to have a winner mentality, but if we want to win this series, we have to play great basketball. We aren’t going to win just by hustling and fighting. We’ve got to play the best basketball we can play.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague