Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 31 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.
Pregame quotes hub: 'There is only one reality, we need to win'
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Wednesday, March 26
Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (18:30 CET)
Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach
"We expect a very tough game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, a team that proved all their potential during the last game they won against Bayern. From our side we really wish to capitalize what we did in our last games and have the support of our fans to push the team at the highest level possible. We have to prepare ourselves for a very intense game because of their physicality, their athleticism and unbelievable scoring potential. And I really wish that we will be able to continue to progress and have another important performance to achieve our goals."
Jordan Nwora, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward
"This is a big week for our team. It starts off by playing a good team, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. Hopefully we can get the job done at home and continue our playoff push."
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:00 CET)
Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach
"Virtus is a very dangerous team, with many good players who can be great if they have a good day. Then they create a problem for the opponents. For our part, we have to be right on defense. Let's not let them play around. To maintain concentration and follow the plan for 40 minutes. On offense, it is important that we make the right decisions, that we have the flow of the game, that the ball moves."
John Brown, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward
"I expect a great fight against Virtus. Although this team is at the bottom of the table, they will come here to win, we have to understand that and play our game."
Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach
"We face Crvena Zvezda, a team that played very well and had a great game against Olympiacos. True, they play without big guys, but all that makes them more dangerous, they are perhaps the most talented team in the competition. We will go there to try to win and, above all, to restore the mentality we haven't had in the last games, and to improve our performance."
Will Clyburn, Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward
"We will play another game in a hot environment with a great atmosphere. Our opponents need to get a result to go all the way, we will have to play our basketball to prepare for the season finale. We will play tough on the court and improve after each and every game."
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:05 CET)
Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach
"It’s a long and exhausting season regardless, but we can already see the finish line. Lorenzo [Brown] is great – we miss him a lot. And Wenyen [Gabriel] as well – we’ll see him too. [This week, we are facing] two top teams, in my opinion, both will make the playoffs and are capable of going all the way."
John DiBartolomeo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard
"The fact that we're going into our last double week is something to look forward to, but two very, very strong teams that we have to play well against. We've been playing well of late, we've had a couple of wins, but I don't think we've been playing our best and we need to pick it up this week."
Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward
"I think it's good to always be able to get some kind of rest, especially when you have some bumps and bruises that you may want to calm down a little bit. Just looking forward to the last stretch of the season, we want to finish strong. Like I said the whole season, we just want to continue to get better every day."
Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach
"Maccabi won their last four games [in all competitions]. They have some injuries, but they are playing well know, especially with [Rokas] Jokubaitis and [Tamir] Blatt recovering. It will be a very important game for us, for the standings. We have two new injuries, in the same 3-4 position. But we are in the final of the regular season, last four games. But we don’t have a chance to look for excuses. There is only one reality, that we need to win to continue towards our goal to secure top four position in the standings. There is a big fight for the playoffs. I don’t want to talk about injured players, I like to focus on the healthy players that we will have."
Tuesday, March 25
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Paris Basketball (18:45 CET)
Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach
"It's a very important game. We need everybody's maximum effort to maximum concentration. Paris is one of the fastest teams. We need to manage the ways to slow them down and make it difficult for their guards."
Arturs Zagars, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard
"Obviously, Paris is a fast-paced team. They run and they open the games up really well. I think they're one of the best in the first half in EuroLeague and we are not there I think, especially in the first quarters where we need to start the game much better. Especially, on home court, we have to get ready for a physical game, a little bit dirty maybe and do our best. Obviously, we need our fans’ support, like every game and especially now because it's a really important game for us. Trying to secure the home crowd and hopefully they'll be here loud and clear."
AS Monaco vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (19:00 CET)
Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach
"You could say it's a do-or-die game for them, but for us too. We absolutely have to win to put ourselves in the best possible position in the standings. Both teams are highly motivated, and it's a crucial game."
Donatas Motiejunas, AS Monaco center
"I know this Zalgiris team and its players very well, and I know it's going to be a tough game. It's going to be a big battle, both physically and tactically. The team is well coached, they know how to impose their slower, more tactical game. We want to do the opposite: run, play fast, push in transition. We have to force them to play at our tempo."
Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach
"It's the last double-round week of the season and it comes in an insane schedule for us: Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. And all road games. We have to focus one game at a time. We know the strength, the talent of Monaco. They strengthened their roster in the last month with Daniel Theis, a player I know very well. He gives them a lot offensively and defensively. It looks like, at the moment, he's the best rolling big in the entire EuroLeague. If you think that he is playing with [Elie] Okobo, [Mike] James, it's easy [for opposition coaches] to have a headache. So one game at a time, one possession at a time, and we will try to do our best. We are fighting, we are competing. We need a little bit more quality, especially on offense, and that's it."
FC Barcelona vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)
Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach
"Barcelona is clearly in a very strong phase right now. We want to build on the things we did well in Saturday’s league game compared to last Thursday. But we still have to improve. Barcelona is another big, physical team that forces the most turnovers in the EuroLeague. So we need to take great care of the ball and avoid giving away easy points. We must be solid in transition defense, slow them down in the half-court, and prevent second chances."
Real Madrid vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:45 CET)
Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach
"Tomorrow's game is a direct clash between two teams that are fighting to get into the playoffs. There's a lot of parity and now any of the games we're going to play until the end of the regular season are all direct confrontations with teams of an extraordinary competitive and basketball level that will make us sweat a lot to beat them. The players of both teams are very aware of the importance of these direct confrontations in order to reach the first objective of this competition, which is to make the playoffs. Milan has a great team with players of extraordinary talent. The whole roster has a lot of talent, but if you look at the numbers of [Nikola] Mirotic, [Zach] LeDay, [Shavon] Shields, [Fabien] Causeur, a player we have a special affection for, [Leandro] Bolmaro, [Neno] Dimitrijevic, [Nico] Mannion, [Armoni] Brooks... you realize the quality they have and, surely, tomorrow they will want the same as us: to play at their best level, to give their best version to beat us. But, above all, Milan is a team that knows how to play very good basketball, that is really well coached by a super coach [Ettore Messina] and that shoots extraordinarily well from three-point territory."
Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid forward
"We head into tomorrow's game with a lot of enthusiasm and also a lot of confidence. We need to win if we want to get into the playoffs, which is our goal, and I think that, if we do things right, we will have a chance to get the victory. Tomorrow we will play a final because now every game in the EuroLeague is a final, but we have to focus above all on what comes next, which is Milan. They will also face this game as if it were a final and I think defense and toughness will be key. If we defend well and close the rebounding, we will be able to run. We have a lot of offensive talent, but our defense needs to be at the highest level to be able to win tomorrow."
Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach
"Real Madrid is going through a very positive period right now. Their most experienced players, as it is customary for great ones, are raising their performance level. Obviously, [Walter] Tavares's presence in the middle will affect the game, at both ends of the floor. To face him in the best way, we will have to use our skills with confidence and correctly."
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. ALBA Berlin (20:45 CET)
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach
"We are in a specific moment after we played extremely badly in a very important game against Efes. We used the game against Mornar to rest and recover certain players, and prepare them for the crucial week ahead. We talked with the team, the players have to increase their concentration, we received a lot of shots from distance in situations when we were not in the bonus. The will and desire must also be on a much higher level. Everyone, starting with me, should think about whether the fans who follow us everywhere and support us at all times deserve to see this picture. The fans will always be with the team, but we have to show the reaction. The least we can give them is a merciless fight."
Sterling Brown, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard
"I expect us to go out on the court, play hard and win. It will be a good game, ALBA plays hard at every moment and we prepared for that. I have confidence in the abilities of our team and believe that we will change things that were not good in the previous period. One loss should not hold us back, there are still four games to go and we still have a chance to clinch the playoffs."
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:45 CET)
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach
"I don’t agree with the argument that ASVEL has nothing to play for. It has been proven over time in the EuroLeague that everyone plays for the win until the final game. Everyone is competitive and everyone wants to play until the end. ASVEL beat Monaco on the road yesterday, and I don’t think anyone doubts they have talent as a team. We are in a special situation. Practically, even if we don't win any of the remaining games, we are in the top three. Of course, we have a lot of issues right now with injuries and fatigue, and we are trying to primarily deal with these things."
Moses Wright, Olympiacos Piraeus center
"I feel great, I’m happy to be back. It was a long process. I really wanted to get back on the court, but I knew I had to be patient and let things take their course. I’m just happy to be back. As far as it concerns the game against ASVEL, we will miss a lot of players but we will give our best in order to get one more win."
