BARCELONA, 16 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of Valencia Basket, Joan Peñarroya, assured that despite the casualties suffered by UCAM Murcia, rival of the ‘taronja’ in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey de Granada, they expect the best version of the Murcians, who beat them in the first round of the Endesa League, and for this reason he asks his players to express themselves in order to stay alive in the competition.
“They haven’t played for two weeks, but at the same time, and knowing many of their players, I know that on Friday, although it seems that they are now in the squad, they will be at their best in all aspects. We are prepared to meet the best UCAM Murcia and we will have to be the best Valencia or we will not win,” he warned at a press conference.
In addition, Peñarroya attends the cup event in Granada with ambition. “If I go and I don’t think I can win, I’d better stay at home. There is a reality and that is that in the last twelve editions, six titles have gone to Real Madrid and six to Barça. That doesn’t mean that the other six teams that We go every year with the intention of winning and we go with that intention,” he said.
“But thinking about Friday’s game, it’s no use thinking further. It’s going to be a very tough game, which we have to face with good concentration and preparation. And from there we go to Granada with hope and the conviction that if we do things very well, we can have our chances of victory”, he argued.
Regarding the rival, he acknowledged that he had a “fantastic” first round of the Endesa League. “They have important players, who are playing at a high level in the League and standing out a lot in individual facets. They also have a different game in some defensive aspects that condition the way they attack. A game that will require a lot of concentration and a lot of determination to that they don’t surprise us. And so that with that physical deployment they have they don’t disrupt our mentality and don’t take us out of our spaces”, he valued.
“We played the first round match in very specific conditions. We lost but we had played less than 36 hours before a match in Manresa with seven first team players. And it is clear that we lost that match (86-91). a negative mentality”, qualified in spite of that defeat in the face to face between both.
And, despite the fact that UCAM Murcia goes to Granada depleted, he does not want any relaxation. “We know that we have to play a very good game to win UCAM Murcia. We know that they have this situation with COVID-19 and it makes us feel bad. We in non-sports situations and that have caused problems throughout the season have a master’s degree” , recalled the Catalan coach of Valencia Basket.