Chus Mateo: “We must recover our energy to defend much better as a team”

MADRID, 7 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Real Madrid basketball coach, Chus Mateo, assured that they will not lack “dedication” in their attempt to equalize this Thursday the ‘Playoff’ of the semifinals for the Endesa League title against Joventut, for which they will need “a vision new” and “recover the energy to defend much better as a team.

“We are going to try to return to the path of victory and dedication will not be lacking because we continue with the ambition of going as far as possible. We are good because we fight together until exhaustion and we have given our lives in each ball, that is the line to beat Joventut”, said Mateo in statements to the club’s official media.

The Madrid coach stressed that they must “be united as a team in the second game”, for which he asked “to be able to have a new vision”, and where he hopes the public will be key. “WiZink helps when we need a hand and on Thursday we need them to support us because this team deserves it for their dedication,” he stressed.

In addition, he does not forget that, after conceding 93 points in the first game, they must improve defensively. “We must recover the energy to defend as a much better team and give something more. We have to rebound in a way that doesn’t do us much damage with second chances, those are the aspects that we must improve,” he said.

For his part, forward Rudy Fernández believes that they should “improve many aspects” compared to Tuesday. “Jventut is a team that scores very well and knows how to play offensively. We have to accept our mistakes to change the dynamics and for this we must take care of the defense,” said the Spaniard.

“Losing the ‘field factor’ is important, but we are going to change the dynamics and we will try to win. We have to go game by game and we only think about the game on Thursday. The mental demand is important and we have to focus on what we we have left, we must be prepared to continue showing what we have done lately, added the international who believes that “the fans have to respond as they did in the fifth game against Partizán”.