By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The newcomers in the CSKA, Nando De Colo and Manu Markoishvili talk on Eurohoops.net about Olympiacos, the past and the pressure that their team has because of the previous match ups.
The French guard and the Georgian forward will play for first time in a Euroleague Final Four with CSKA (Markoishvili did it also in 2003 with Benetton). The Russians have the pressure of being favorite in the semifinal against Olympiacos and also have to handle all the bad past from the recent Final Fours and against the Greek team.
Eurohoops talked to two of three newcomers of CSKA who have important role in the team and tried to figure out if in true the past matters.
What have you heard about the previous Final Fours of CSKA? Have you talked in the locker rooms about your games against Olympiacos?
Manu Markoishvili: “Honestly we haven’t talked about the previous years and Olympiacos especially. I watched the games and I understand it. This is just history. What else can you say about that? I don’t want to repeat again that history doesn’t play basketball. I think everybody should understand his role, fight and do his best. The experience doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is to do your best”.
Nando De Colo: “I heard what everybody saw. They missed a lot of opportunities to win the title but this is a new season”.
Are you fed up hearing all this stories?
Manu Markoishvili: “Not at all. I think also, nobody in the team counts the past”.
Nando De Colo: “We must forget what happened the previous years. We need to focus only to the semifinal. We did a great season but now there is only one game in front of us”.
Vassilis Spanoulis is the star and Giorgos Printezis made some great buzzer beaters. Who player of Olympiacos are you more afraid in the crucial moments?
Manu Markoishvili: “We have to pay attention to everyone because Olympiacos plays excellent as a team. They will try to keep us in low scoring and is tough to play against them”.
Nando De Colo: “We need to wait and see what’s going on the game. Spanoulis leads the game for Olympiacos, Printezis had a great season and a lot of players work hard for their team. So, it’s not only one or two players to focus on”.
Olympiacos is again the underdog. Does this title help them have less pressure?
Manu Markoishvili: “At this level there aren’t underdogs. On the other hand all have to play as underdogs because history has proven that the winner is whoever is mentally and physically better. We must play against Olympiacos as underdog. We are hungry to win the Euroleague”.