League-leading Real (22-26) faces the tough task of ending its surprising three-game losing streak with a trip to dangerous Virtus (17-11), one of three teams currently tied for fifth place.
Luca Banchi, Virtus: 'One of the most complex games of the entire season.'
Seasons
3 Minuto di lettura
Regular Season
Round 29 of 34
Group Regular Season
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The Italian team has lost four of its last six games, all against fellow candidates for a top-four finish, and will again look to Toko Shengelia for leadership after he scored 15 points in last week's narrow loss at Olympiacos. Real's offensive power was too much for Virtus to handle when the teams met in November, with 18 points and 11 assists from Facu Campazzo masterminding a convincing 100-74 home victory. But he has been subdued in the three-game losing run, failing to reach double digits in scoring, and savvy Virtus veteran Daniel Hackett will look to make his life difficult again this week.
Luca Banchi, Virtus head coach
"Hosting European champion and current leader Real Madrid means having to show our best version to contain the impact of such a structured, experienced and spectacular roster. Their system is built around the combination of creative playmakers and dominant centers, to which are added a series of extremely versatile players capable of making Real Madrid considered again this year as the team to beat, for potential, quality of play and continuity of performance. Another evening of great basketball awaits us, to be honored with a courageous and continuous performance that will allow us to keep in the wake of the team that to date is the leader in wins, points scored and assists. The city of Bologna, virtussini fans and the Segafredo Arena will respond as they usually do by creating the conditions for our team to find the right answers to one of the most complex games of the entire season."
Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach
"We are getting to the end of the regular season and everyone wants to finish as high as possible. Some teams have more urgency than others, and some have been eliminated from the playoffs, but the ones that still can make it will give it their all. We are also fighting to try to stay in the first place so we a difficult game awaits us. Only Olympiacos and Zalgiris won in Bologna this season, it's a complicated court. We know that, so we will try to meet expectations and the demands that Virtus will present to us. We play against a good team, a physical team; they have clear offensive references and very good players who know how to play ball."
Ognjen Dobric, Virtus player
"Tomorrow's game is a tough one, Real Madrid is first in the standings and is a deep team with a lot of experience and physicality. We will have to be good at exploiting our best qualities, knowing that we can also count on the support of our fans who so far, in home games have always allowed us to give our best."
Alberto Abalde, Real Madrid player
"We are entering a stretch in which every game is important, in which every team has a lot at stake. In this difficult moment of the season we want to keep growing to face this decisive stretch being a better team than we have until now. Tomorrow in Bologna a difficult game awaits us, they are always difficult on that court. Virtus is having a great season; they started exceptionally well but it is tru that now they are in the thick for the playoff and ply-in spots."