Writting from Berlin: Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow didn’t only end an 8-year draught period without any Euroleague titles, but also exorcized the ghosts gathered after suffering consecutive upsets in the previous Final Four tournaments.
The president of CSKA Moscow, Andrey Vatutin, was nothing less than blissfull when we asked him to describe his emotions for his team’s accomplishment. “I am so happy you know”, he told us. “We are champions and that’s what matters. I am so lucky too. So much lucky. Lucky to have these players, these coaches, this management. To have all of them”.
How does he feel about CSKA sitting again in the top of Euroleague after 2008? “We always stayed in the top of Euroleague. We were in almost every Final Four. But now we won it too. And you know what? We deserve this title much more than anybody. Because we worked very hard”.
Although the Russian team was ahead in the score with a 20-point lead after the first half, Fenerbahce completed a comeback and almost won the game. “For sure I got scared a bit then”, admitted Vatutin. “But you know what happened then? We won this title in a better way. Because it’s much more better than if we would have won with the 20 points of halftime”.
And what makes it better exactly? “The fact that we showed our character. For example, what happened four years ago in Istanbul was a catastrophe. But now we won the title after our opponent came back and because we reacted”
Last year, the president of the Russian club decided to bring on board Dimitris Itoudis. “He had a lot of experience. He is a great coach. He beat his teacher in crucial game. That says much”, he said.
They say that a team that wins doesn’t change. What are Andrey Vatutin’s plans for the next season? “I prefer to celebrate the title now. And then start planning the future tomorrow. Well… maybe the day after tomorrow (laughs)”.