A rematch of last season's incredible championship game will see Olympiacos (6-5) seek revenge for that last-second defeat as it welcomes Real (10-1) to Piraeus.
Gabriel Deck, Real Madrid: 'On the road you always have to give a bit more'
Seasons
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 12 of 34
Regular Season
Olympiacos PiraeusOLY
7177
Real MadridRMB
Overview
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Both teams are coming off losses, with Real aiming to bounce straight back from its first defeat of the season in an overtime thriller against Fenerbahce, while the Reds saw its three-game winning streak snapped with a setback at Monaco. Two giants will battle for physical dominance as Moustapha Fall (6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game) goes up against Walter Tavares (9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game). Real will have to keep a close watch on the long-range shooting skills of Isaiah Canaan, who ranks second in the league with 3.1 three-pointers converted per game.
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach
"It is unnecessary to talk about the difficulty of the game. Based on the numbers, the standings and, of course, what we all see, Real is a team that has a high level of difficulty to play against. Everything has to be done very well in order to get the win. They have experience, good rhythm from last season, and they added Campazzo, a player with big impact on their game. So we have to play very well. Of course, we believe that we have good chances to win. The gym will be full and we are motivated to continue the good performances, because I think that we also played well against Monaco, in general. We have to keep improving and become the best version of Olympiacos that we can be. And with the new signings I am sure that our ceiling rises up quite a bit."
Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach
"This is a week that will demand a big effort from us in two high-intensity games against two classics in European basketball, two Final Four classics, two EuroLeague champs that will welcome us to their homes and who will want to play great games in front of their fans. I expect two tough games, two long games that will ask for our biggest effort and perfect basketball if we want to win. Olympiacos was our last opponent in the EuroLeague championship game, and they have been playing great seasons lately. They have probably been the most consistent team in the league and probably the one that played better defense. Last season we took the trophy, but they could have won as easily. Olympiacos is coached by one of the best bosses in Europe, they play as a team and they do not depend on individualities. We are facing a tremendously difficult game."
Luke Sikma, Olympiacos player
"They are playing very well, like most teams in Europe. Real is at the top of the standings, it is the European champion. They have experience and talent. It is definitely going to be a very difficult game. The most important thing for us is to slow them down offensively and put a lot of emphasis on our defense. At the same time, try to play our game on offense, protect the ball and find good shots."
Gabriel Deck, Real Madrid player
"Olympiacos is a team that plays really well and they push hard at home, with their people, but we must focus on our game, try to feel well and concentrated from the first minute in order to try to get a new win, which is our goal. We must be at 100 percent mentally, giving it all in all games and we travel to Athens with that mindset. In Real Madrid anyone can be a starter, anybody can stand out and we must use that to our advantage. We are playing very well, but on the road you always have to give a bit more, and we hope to stay in this path."