By Javier Molero/ jmolero@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid faces a tough week in the EuroLeague. On Tuesday, they will play Olimpia Milano in Italy, and on Thursday, they host Paris Basketball in the Spanish capital.
Sergio Scariolo spoke minutes before flying back to his home country, highlighting the team’s improvement, their upward trajectory, and clarifying his approach to distributing playing time.
“At home, it’s a bit easier to draw on various resources, and emotionally, you have more energy. I never believed we had a real problem playing away from home. The team is evolving little by little, and at the beginning, playing away against stronger opponents, it was noticeable,” he commented.
He took the opportunity to discuss the distribution of playing time. Garuba’s presence in the EuroLeague, Alex Len’s importance in the ACB… “We have two competitions, and some players are a bit more mature and prepared to play in one competition than the other. There are times when we have to be more strategic because we won’t always have everyone healthy and in good condition,” he explained.
He also emphasized how well Armani Milan is coming into the game, with an 8-7 record and some impressive wins. “The opponent’s recent performances warrant full attention. They’ve played some great games and secured victories against Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and Virtus, dominating those matches. They’re a very talented and experienced team, capable of competing at a very high level,” he said about their rival. Following that, and just 48 hours later, they will host Paris Basketball, who are always a dangerous team.