In fact, the whole city is under restoration, preparing for the summer, and sightseeing is of course impossible. But there is a good thing anyway – at least players and fans are not supposed to walk around a lot. Kind of safety measures, too.
Safety is indeed not just a word here at the Final Eight. Zoom press conferences, bubbles, fans’ experience at the arena – this is all something we need to get used to is we want our game to get back. BCL is a pioneer here, and it still looks more than okay.
By the way, here is my wow-of-the-day discovery: did you know that all three Spanish teams came to Russia on the same plane starting from Zaragoza? Basketball in COVID era is indeed a crazy thing.
Alex Renfroe, the funniest man ever played in the Basketball Champions League, described this trip for Eurohoops. ”We had no inconveniences. It was a pretty smooth trip. 2-3 hours drive to the airport. Then fly here. Anybody that knows me knows that once I get on that plane… I’m out of there until the trip is over! So I slept like a baby. I couldn’t even tell you how long it was once we got on the plane. We even stopped somewhere but I didn’t wake up”, he told.
Alex, you had a pit stop in Prague, Czech Republic. Always welcome!
Ya que estamos, vamos a divertirnos ? #Final8 pic.twitter.com/gwc9WkCZOq
— Hereda San Pablo Burgos (@SanPabloBurgos) May 4, 2021
What could be crazier is the ways how fans come to Russia with borders closed. I have not seen Tenerife or Strasbourg supporters, but reigning champions from Burgos will have all the support in the world in Nizhny Novgorod. People in Burgos‘ jerseys somehow found a way to come and flooded the hotel where I am staying.
I caught them all and conducted an interrogation. As it turns out, they came… yeah, on the same plane with three Spanish teams. I could have guessed right away, this is practically the only way for foreign fans to come to Russia these days.
Or no?
Israeli fans are here to rock! ?? #basketballcl @Eurohoopsnet pic.twitter.com/AGa8V3TPby
— Artem Komarov (@art_basket) May 6, 2021
I am ready to believe these guys were on the same flight.
But before Israeli fans rocked the arena, there was a game between Tenerife and Strasbourg. You already know the result, but here is how it looked like from the French bench.
French bench… Am I a poet or what? Anyway, here it is:
What a surprise by Strasbourg ?? #basketballcl pic.twitter.com/OeNn4UNxCO
— Artem Komarov (@art_basket) May 6, 2021
But let’s get back to the second game. Hapoel Holon’s fan sector was so close to Burgos’ one that I bet they could feel each other’s breath. Although they could have chosen some different seats, they did not, and this unity truly inspires.
One shoe (yes, a shoe) did not feel the same way and all it wanted was to separate. Jasiel Rivero really liked a one-shoe-defence, but unity means unity, right?
I am joking, of course. So is the fortune that left the semifinals without #1 seeds. Seriously, after Hapoel lost to Burgos there is no one who qualified for the Final Eight being first in its playoff group.
Does this matter? I doubt so. You can ask these guys, they know the answer.
I didn’t joke when I told you that @SanPabloBurgos will have all the support in the world in Nizhny ? #basketballcl @Eurohoopsnet pic.twitter.com/agJwqD5ONd
— Artem Komarov (@art_basket) May 6, 2021
The only thing that matters now is you keeping an eye on the Final Eight that has now transformed into Final Four.
See you tomorrow in Day 3 blog!