By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Monaco will host Barcelona in a decisive EuroLeague Play-In game at Gaston Médecin, with the winner claiming the final ticket to the Playoffs and a quarterfinal matchup against Olympiacos.
The Roca Team enters the clash after falling to Panathinaikos earlier this week, while Barcelona kept its season alive by defeating Crvena Zvezda. Despite previous regular-season wins over the Catalan side, Monaco expects a very different challenge in this high-stakes elimination game.
There is some positive news on the injury front for Monaco, as Terry Tarpey and Nemanja Nedović have returned to training, though their availability remains uncertain. Nikola Mirotić will miss the game, leaving the hosts with a limited rotation.
Monaco head coach Manuchar Markoishvili expects a tough, physical battle and stresses the importance of consistency against a team playing for survival.
“We expect a difficult game. It will be even more so as they come here knowing it is truly the last game of the season if they do not qualify. We must stay focused, focus on ourselves, be very physical, and play the way we know how when we are strong both physically and mentally. We must hold on for 40 minutes. We cannot afford too many ups and downs. It will be a completely different duel from the two we won in the regular season. This is a playoff-type game. We know Barça’s qualities, with a very good team and a very good coach. Tomorrow is a new day, a new game, a new opportunity.”
Guard Elie Okobo highlighted the stakes of the game but also emphasized the need to embrace the moment without adding extra pressure.
“This is a game to continue our EuroLeague season and reach the playoffs. We did the job at the end of the regular season to secure eighth place and earn this last game at home if needed. For the past five or six games, it has felt like finals, even more so at home. We feel the passion of the fans behind us and the energy on the court. High-stakes EuroLeague games like this are what we love as players. But we must not put extra pressure on ourselves.”