By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid is always a Euroleague contender, however after losing Sergio Rodriguez, things will change this season. Pablo Laso confirmed this, speaking to the official website of the club.
As he said: “Sergio Rodríguez gave us great service and has a place in the hearts of all madridistas. He’s irreplaceable for us, but we had to look to the future. It’s important that Llull has stayed on and that we’ve got Draper back, who, for me, has never been away. He’s very much part of the group. Then we’ve got Doncic, who made his debut last season aged 16 and his progress was excellent. These three players can offer us stability and the assurance to make us more competitive”.
Still the “Whites” have an admirable roster: “We’ve put together a great roster. We’ve been hit by the departures of some big players in important positions, but the work we’ve done has seen us take a forward step, as we’ve thought about the club’s future. The fact that we’ve got young players who have come up through the ranks at Real Madrid and have a bond with the club, such as Doncic and Radoncic is positive. I’m very happy with the signings that we’ve made and we’ve got a team that people will enjoy watching”.
And that means that Madrid wants to play for one more season uptempo basketball: “We want to be competitive right from the off. We’ve got a side that never gives in and remains faithful to their style of play, that’s something that won’t change. The coach has to adapt to the situations as and when they crop up and focus on the team as a whole, and not on individual players. Historically, Real Madrid teams have always been characterised as ones that run a lot, play fine basketball and have great players who dictate the team’s style. I’ve been lucky enough to have players who have fitted in very well with this style of play”.