By Mihalis Stefanou/ info@eurohoops.net
Heading to Round 15 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, and a meeting between FC Barcelona and Olympiacos in Palau Blaugrana, Tornike Shengelia talked to Eurohoops about Friday’s game and facing Sasha Vezenkov.
Since the reunion with Xavi Pascual, Barca has been looking better on the court. Improvements stretched to a huge road win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet in Round 14. A clash with the Greek side to extend the storied head-to-head series is up next.
Shengelia discussed the upcoming challenge with Mihalis Stefanou immediately after a winning display against MoraBanc Andorra in Round 9 of the Liga Endesa Regular Season on Sunday.
-Barcelona is on an upward trajectory. How do you see the upcoming duel with Olympiacos in Palau?
“We had an excellent week with two important victories. It is not easy to go to Belgrade and beat one of the toughest teams in the Euroleague like Crvena Zvezda, and we are proud of our performance there. On the other hand, we understand that Olympiacos is also one of the best teams in the league. They have a different playing style, and they are very good at it. They essentially dominate in their basketball, and we will have to prepare for the game as best as possible, tactically and mentally, in the 3-4 days that we have ahead of us.”
-What makes the Reds dangerous?
“One of the reasons that, in my opinion, they are great has to do with their togetherness. They have a solid core, they have been playing together for so many years, and in a way, they can work together with their eyes closed. They know how to move, when to cut, when to wait, and this chemistry, you know, is one of the most basic parts of a successful team. I don’t want to talk too much about our tactical plan against them, but I think that in the coming days we will work well to be ready.”
-What are the elements that Xavi Pascual is trying to bring to the team?
“We are trying to become tougher and more solid defensively. To play with more power, to protect the paint, and to make life more difficult for our opponents. Our main goal is not to allow second chances. And as long as we secure the defensive rebound, we run the court and execute with good decisions. In general, I think that we are on the right track. There is, of course, a lot of room for improvement, but I feel that day by day we are showing progress and that soon we will be able to show our best basketball.”
-What can we expect for the matchup with Sasha Vezenkov?
“It’s always a great opportunity to face Sasha. In recent years, he has been one of the best, if not the best, players in Europe, and this particular matchup is a great challenge. As you mentioned, however, it’s a team game, and I am experienced enough to know that it is not judged by individual matchups. If my team is going to win, I put the individual stuff aside and will simply try to do whatever it takes to get a positive result. In any case, I believe that there is mutual respect between us, and it is always fun to play against him, since this is a very special type of opponent compared to those I usually face, and that requires strength and physicality. His talent and very good technical training force you to take a different approach.”