By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Two titans of European basketball – Real Madrid and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. The perennial title contenders versus a team back in the Euroleague after eight years away.
For Real Madrid, the prospect of a record 11th title is on the horizon and a first for head coach Chus Mateo while Partizan is pursuing the first Euroleague title of the modern era and is a watchful eye of the continent’s most decorated coach.
“I started my coaching career here. I feel this club very deep inside of me. I’m very happy to have this experience now. The only pressure is the in the way of trying to give everything you have inside. Our target is to go game by game but always thinking that we want to respect ourselves and we want to respect our people,” nine-time EuroLeague champion Obradovic said.
Chus Mateo is part of Real Madrid’s first team since 2014, but this is his first season as a head coach. He made it to spot No. 3 in the standings and has a chance to win the first EuroLeague trophy for Los Blancos since 2018.
“The fact that I’ve been at this club for such a long time means that the level of pressure doesn’t catch me out. I know what it entails, but dealing with it as a head coach is different from dealing with it as an assistant coach. I would like to maintain a style that has obviously worked and try not to lose Real Madrid’s essence of always competing until the end,” Mateo said.
Australian Dante Exum is one of the key players behind Partizan’s success this season. As one of the most spectacular players in the competition, he will be one to look out for in the quarterfinals.
“I think every game, once it gets that fourth quarter, no matter what the score is, every possession, every basket, every stop matters. We can make a statement this season,” Exum said.
Gershon Yabusele made it to the final last season, so he’s eager to win it all this time.
“I want to win. This game, I don’t want to lose it, no matter what happens. We got to take this win, and I’m ready, and of course, I’m expecting to be in the finals and get this win this year“, the French center said.