By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
In his recent interview with Radio Marca, Panathinaikos‘ coach, Xavi Pascual answered many burning questions about the Greek team.
Pascual notes the importance of being competitive against bigger budget teams in EuroLeague. “We are a moderate budget team, but we try to make a competitive team with what we manage. We dream of going a step further, going to the Final Four and trying to win it, but you have to be with your feet on the ground. Sometimes it happens, but it is very difficult when you can not reach the budgets of other clubs.”
After much turmoil between Panathinaikos and EuroLeague, the team now seems to be in line, as Pascual admits: “The important thing is that everything is now in the right route. You have to turn the page, take a step forward and face this new Euroleague with great enthusiasm. Panathinaikos is a historic club that has won six Euroleague titles and therefore deserves to be in the Euroleague and the Euroleague deserves to have Panathinaikos. The situation is now calm and stable.”
Pascual also comments on Sarunas Jasikevicius, after Zalgiris‘ impressive season in EuroLeague: “He has done very well these last two seasons with the Zalgiris, especially the second. But the most important thing, results aside, is that he is a guy who gives identity to his team and that is very difficult to find.”