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Pregame quotes, Round 26: 'I expected the EuroLeague to be tough'

Pregame quotes, Round 26: 'I expected the EuroLeague to be tough'

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Euroleague.net Staff

Pregame quotes, Round 26: 'I expected the EuroLeague to be tough'

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 26 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Tuesday, February 3

Dubai Basketball vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (17:00 CET)

Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach

"We already know everything about Olympiacos. They have had the same system for the last 4-5 years, they're one of the best teams in Europe. Pacing-wise, decision-wise, for sure they're the best team. [We need to be] totally focused with a lot of energy, 40 minutes, 24 seconds. They're a team that is very, very patient. You think you have defended [well], but they find one more pass. To be focused for 40 minutes is going to be the key."

Justin Anderson, Dubai forward

"They've been playing really well. Winning eight out of the last 10 games, that feels good. I know what that feels like on the other side, so they're going to look to extend their streak and it's up to us to try to break it. We know our fans are going to be here prepared, I'm sure they're going to travel well and they'll have some fans here, so we're looking forward to a very exciting game. The team, as far as the matchup, they like to move the ball. They're a very veteran team, they've been playing together for some years. You can tell by their roster, it's clear what they're trying to do: they're focused on the postseason. We're a new team. We're learning what it takes to get to the postseason. The competitive edge is there, the chemistry is there, the vibes are there. Now we're focused on giving our best effort every possession, being tough, being physical, and trying to outlast Olympiacos."

Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach

"It’s a team with exceptional offensive talent, which is why it scores so much. On their home court they are a very hard team to beat, especially considering the conditions there, the time difference, the long trip… That’s why we’re leaving a day earlier. We feel good competitively and we believe we are improving as a team in areas of the game where we were lacking, but also in others where we were already good. But many times that doesn't count; it comes down to the approach to this particular game."

Cory Joseph, Olympiacos guard

"I expected the EuroLeague to be tough. The talent here is obviously extremely high. Against Barcelona it was my first game, but I had the right mindset and I had watched enough games to know that every possession counts and you have to fight for every inch. It’s tough and it will continue to be, and you have to prepare properly for every game, and that’s what we’ll do for the next one against Dubai."

Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Valencia Basket (18:30 CET)

Pablo Laso, Efes head coach

"We have a lot of respect for Valencia Basket because they have been one of the surprises in the Euroleague this season. From the first day, they have competed aggressively in transition and have a wide rotation. I think Pedro Martinez has done a great job from the start of the year -and last year as well- though their roster was a bit short then. This season, they have the depth needed for such a demanding calendar. For us, it’s a big challenge because Valencia plays a very open-court style, and we need to match that intensity from the beginning. We must take responsibility in guarding their key players, but it’s not just about one person, anyone on their roster can step up. Kameron Taylor, Omari Moore, Jean Montero, they have many weapons, and just yesterday Josep Puerto was their top scorer. That speaks volumes about a team that doesn’t depend on any single player."

Vincent Poirier, Efes center

"Valencia Basket is a team that plays with great spacing and rhythm, so we need to be ready to match that. Controlling the rebounds and the tempo of the game will be key to limiting their ability to take quick shots. We know our momentum hasn’t been good lately, so we need to treat this game like a final and play as if it were our last."

Zalgiris Kaunas vs. AS Monaco (19:00 CET)

Tomas Masiulis, Zalgiris head coach

"One of the most talented teams is coming in. I think they really have a lot of talent and individually strong players in the guard positions. It will be a very big challenge to see how we handle them. They definitely play very physically. On defense, they have a lot of players who can bring physicality — guards, players at the three and four positions, [Alpha] Diallo, [Jaron] Blossomgame as well. That needs to be mentioned. If, as always, we take a step back when we’re met with physicality, we’ll have big problems. If we respond in kind — like we’ve said, in a fight you have to strike first — then it becomes easier to battle."

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (20:00 CET)

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:05 CET)

Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach

"We don’t have much time to recover. I’m not sure how many fresh legs we’ll get back from the players who are missing. I hope we’ll get a push from the crowd, we need it. There are no easy games in the EuroLeague. There’s no doubt that coming back home has done us good. It would be a bit presumptuous to talk about our chances moving forward; we need to take it one game at a time."

Jaylen Hoard, Maccabi forward

"I feel like we have a pretty good job against any team, but in the EuroLeague, every team is tough. Even though they've been going through a lot this season, they've got a talented roster, a lot of guys who can do damage on offense. We're going to have to take the game seriously, play with energy, play with intensity, and feed off our crowd as we go for the win."

Marcio Santos, Maccabi center

"We know we played a good game against them on their home court, but now they changed the coach, they changed their style, so they're playing with a better tempo and intensity. We need to match their energy. We know we're at home, so we've got the fans behind us, which helps a lot."

Joan Penarroya, Partizan head coach

"Maccabi have been playing very well, especially over the past few weeks, and they’ve had strong results at home. They’re an energetic team that plays with a lot of activity for all 40 minutes, so we need to be solid on both ends of the court throughout the entire game. We have to be especially careful at times when they can make very difficult shots. They have a lot of talent, and we’ll also need to control their fast-break opportunities. At the same time, we’re improving day by day, and tomorrow’s game will be another chance for us to prove ourselves."

Aleksa Radanov, Partizan forward

"I don’t think it matters who we’re playing against. Our effort and approach on both ends of the floor have to be at the highest level. Most teams in this league are extremely talented offensively, so our main focus has to be on defense and taking care of the ball. I believe that’s the only way we can win games and keep getting better from one game to the next. Every practice helps us improve, our conditioning will continue to get better and that will allow us to grow as a team. As far as fitting in goes, everything feels good, and I think it will keep improving day by day. Against Maccabi, our goal is to go out there and win, with the same maximum effort we bring to every game. There’s no alternative to giving everything on the court."

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Real Madrid (20:15 CET)

Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach

"Despite all the improvements the team has made over recent months in many areas—technique, tactics, etc.—there is still work to be done on our away performance in the EuroLeague, which is an area where we are not yet where we want to be. We have several consecutive away games coming up, and I believe we can try to improve in this area, which seems to be the only one where we need to make a leap forward. All areas can be improved, but here we need to take a big step forward. From my point of view, which is to prepare game plans, systems, markings... I don't see any difference between playing away and playing at home because the players are the same. It's more a question of confidence, courage, character, personality, priority, that is, feeling that it's very important at this stage. It's something very individual on the part of the players, and we've encouraged them in that direction.

"The game against Panathinaikos in Madrid was perhaps one of the only games where we felt that everything we were trying to do was useless because the opponent was one or two steps ahead, but it was a valid and useful experience. Panathinaikos is an opponent with enormous talent, depth, technical quality, experience, and physical ability at the highest European level, so tomorrow we have a good opportunity to show that we can also compete against this kind of opponent."

Walter Tavares, Real Madrid center

"We're really looking forward to tomorrow's game because winning away from home by playing solidly for 40 minutes is the area we most want to improve in. It's true that it's very difficult to win away in the EuroLeague, but improving our performance outside Madrid is one of the things we're working the hardest on because away wins are what get you to the top. We are really looking forward to trying in Athens and seeing if we can come away with a win, which would be very important.

"Panathinaikos vs. Real Madrid is a EuroLeague classic. They always play well at OAKA, and we know that every time we play there, it's always a tough, close game until the end. We know it's going to be tough, but I think that if we do the things we have to do well, stay focused and execute Sergio Scariolo's game plan at all times, we'll have a chance to win.

"I think the key tomorrow is defense. When we defend well and rebound effectively, that's when we gain more confidence, when we have more stability in our game and when we're more fluid on offense."

FC Bayern Munich vs. Paris Basketball (20:30 CET)

Leo Cavaliere, Paris forward

“Winning against Real Madrid was a great achievement for us, but we want to keep winning — and doing so at Bayern Munich is going to be a great challenge for us. We want to keep building on what we did in the last game and keep going.”

FC Barcelona vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CET)

Xavi Pascual, Barcelona head coach

"Just like last year, they signed [Errick] McCollum in the middle of the season, and the team changed. This year, with the signing of De Colo and the return of Wilbekin, they take on another dimension. They are an extremely physical team, that can switch in all positions, they can play with a small line-up, sometimes with a bigger one, but they are all big, very physical, very athletic, and very well coached. That's why they're the current champions, and also the top-ranked team in the EuroLeague at the moment. This is the first time since I have been here that I have had a bit more difficulty with the results, although everything is going very fast and we play a lot of games. But, without a doubt, we need our fans at Palau, we need to stick together. Here we have taken this stage of the season, where we all have to be together, we are going in the same direction, as I said on the first day I was here, in the good and the bad moments, because the important moment of the season will come and we have to be prepared for it, and we have to keep going. Some games have slipped away in the final stretch, but the team is still fighting, it's still going strong, and we have to win the Fenerbahce game with the help of all the fans. We are waiting for a full Palau. There's no better reason than to come and watch a game like this, against the best team in the EuroLeague and the current champions. Also, there's no better reason than to help our team take one more step, and have a big night at Palau."

Jan Vesely, Barcelona center

"We have to be more focused for 40 minutes. We have to fight all game, because now Fenerbahce are in a very good moment, they won 11 games out of 12 in January, so they are in a great moment. But we are lucky we will be playing at home, so I think the atmosphere will be great, and this is going to give us much more energy to play the game. Playing against Fenerbahce, of course, it's going to be a special moment. I didn't know about it until two days ago, when Sato [Tomas Satoransky] told me, so it's a good game to do 400 games [in EuroLeague] against. Last week was difficult, but the season is long, we are starting a new week, we have a double week in front of us, so we are starting it with a game at home. It's a big advantage for us, and always when we play here in Palau, the atmosphere is great and the fans are pushing us, so I'm looking forward to the game, the whole team is."

Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach

"Barcelona is one of the most experienced teams in the EuroLeague. For me, a clear candidate for everything. Extremely well coached. The guard play is phenomenal. We need to take away the three-point shots that are one of the best. And in general make everything very difficult for the very experienced team."

Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce forward

"It's going to be a very tough game in a tough environment against one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, for sure. Um, they're coming off a loss in the domestic league so for sure they wanna play a very good and solid game in front of their fans."

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:30 CET)

Peppe Poeta, Milan head coach

"Baskonia is a team with a lot of identity that likes to play an up-tempo kind of basketball. For us, the most important aspect it to find consistency for the entire 40 minutes of the game, which is exactly what we have lacked over the last few weeks."

Rodions Kurucs, Baskonia forward

"We face a tough game in Milan and have to keep adding wins in the EuroLeague. We have to clean our minds and focus on the next game. We have to be more focused, play together and do the things coach asks us to do. If we changed that, I am sure we will, because we will focus and talk to each other, we will give everything in the game against Milan. I feel good, getting a lot of confidence from my teammates and coach. I am doing my job and always play hard until the end, trying to help my team in all aspects of the game in order to win. For me, the most important thing is to win. When the team wins, everybody wins, and that is what's important."