By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Sergio Rodriguez will be one of the players to watch at Milan. Like Theodoros Papaloukas before him, he isn’t a member of Real’s starting five, but he comes from the bench and saves the day. The mind of Madrid is also a player that keeps you glued on the court, but also a person that you can’t but like.
Eurohoops had the chance to talk with him after Game 5 against Olympiacos and here’s what he had to tell us about the Greeks and the great season of Real Madrid: “We knew from the beginning of the series that we would match up with a very difficult team, the defending champions of the last two years. They are excellent competitors, they have a lot of talent and we are happy for the way we play the whole season in Euroleague until this point. We got the advantage of the home court and that was very important”.
So, is this the season of Real Madrid? “We will see. We know it’s a long way, there are still two more games. First of all we have Barcelona. They are playing much better compared to the beginning of the season. They are a team of good level. We have to know and we have the experience. I have been here for four years, this is going to be my third final four, so we know how difficult is to play in those kind of games. We are prepared and we will need to have some luck too to win”.
What it means for Rodriguez and his teammates to face their arrival, Barcelona, in the Euroleague semifinal? “It’s different. We are playing against a Spanish team, we have already played them many times this year, we compete against them in every final, in the Supercup, in last year’s league finals, this year in Copa Del Rey. So it’s going to be a difficult game, we know each other for a long time. The same players against whom we play for many years. We know this is going to be different, but it’s the Euroleague semifinal, so we have to be ready”.
And that means also a proud beard. Don’t expect Sergio to cut it, even in the case of a quadruple crown for Real by winning the Supercopa, Copa Del Rey, Euroleague and Liga Endesa :“No, no, no the beard stays with me. I feel comfortable with that. It brings me good luck in order to play better and win”.
“El Chacho”, as he is nicknamed, confess that he is kind of superstitious so the beard stays and also a visit to the Greek Island of Mykonos is a must: “I don’t know this year, because I am getting married early in the summer, I got my honeymoon, so I don’t know. It depends also on the national team, but every time I go to Mykonos, the season gets better, it brings me a lot of good luck. I like superstitions. So this year, I don’t know how long I could be there, but for sure I will try to go at least for a week”.