“We are where Barça must always be, fighting for great results”
BARCELONA, Jan. 9 (SportsFinding) –
Barça coach Svetislav Pesic, assured this Thursday before receiving in the Palau Blaugrana the leader of the Euroleague, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, that his team is at this time where it should be “always”, in third place and a victory of a leadership and fighting for “great results” in addition to showing that they are at the same level as the Turks, candidates for the title.
“Surely Efes is a team that motivates us. Not only because we play against them, but because we are motivated by our situation and show that we can play at the level of all favorites, like Efes. We play at home and we must follow our game plan, with a cool head and aggression, “he said at a press conference.
For Pesic, Anadolu Efes is one of the best teams in this Euroleague. “They have, like us, the only objective of qualifying for the 'Final Four'. It will be a very intense game, we need confidence and play our game, make good decisions in attack and play aggressively, without hesitation, and have confidence in defense and follow the game plan, “he commented on what kind of match he wants to watch.
“There are many games, but if you play against Madrid or against Efes, against Fenerbahçe or teams that know what they do with the ball you have to know where you are and what to improve. You can improve on an individual level if in each training and match you try to give one hundred percent. Tomorrow we play against a great rival, a very complete team in attack and defense, “he said.
On the other hand, the coach said that his team is now where Barça “must always be”. “We are struggling to have great results. We still have physical problems, we cannot say who can play or not tomorrow. I am never happy, but I am happy. And I am happy with the attitude and enthusiasm we have, and that is why we have the Palau full , because fans get that feeling, “he said.
Pesic explained that when he arrived at the team in February 2018, he encountered a challenge that had never occurred before in Barcelona; Avoid being a Euroleague colist. “Barça had never fought not to be the last in a competition. Now we fight to be in the 'Final Four', we are in the top four when the first round ends, and without many decisive players,” he celebrated.
A memory he brought to the present to defend the triumph achieved in the first round against Anadolu Efes, who played without a recovered Shane Larkin and who is one of his stars. “Against Efes we play without important players. I didn't want to talk about this, but about the next game. But you have to remember how we got here, because some forget some things,” he said.
For his part, the center and captain Ante Tomic foresees a “hard and difficult” match as always against Efes. “Last year we lost a lot of games against them, but I would like to think about it and win it. I feel more or less good. On a personal level, a little up and down, it depends on the game because I had some good and some bad. I hope raise my level and play better to help the team, “he added.