The Euroleague returns to La Fonteta and does so with a match that could be decisive in the classification, since Valencia Basket faces an Olympiacos that surpasses it by a victory and also has the opportunity to win the basket-average after the victory in the first round match.
Of course, Mumbrú’s team will not only have to overcome the absences due to injury of Brandon Davies and Boubacar Touré, but they will also have to fight against the weight of history, since Valencia Basket has never managed to beat Olympiacos in La Fonteta after seven precedents in the top European competition.
On this occasion, however, the Taronja have the emotional advantage of having already beaten them in Greece and with the good moment of a team that has won three of its last four games in Europe, apart from the losses it also has. Olympiacos, since the Greek team will also not be able to count on Nikola Milutinov, its starting ‘five’, and there is a doubt about its other ‘tower’ Moustapha Fall, who is completing his recovery from an injury.
Valencia BC, in addition, faces a rival that retains a good part of the block of the runner-up team from last season and Mumbrú wanted to highlight yesterday the potential of his squad. «It is a game that, based on history, seems complicated, we have always lost against Olympiacos at home, it is difficult, they play good basketball, they have had their interiors injured, but it seems that Fall is returning for our game, they have signed Moses Wright “They play well, a lot from the pass in attack, they are tough in defense, they have players with a lot of intimidation, we have to find our virtues and be able to cover up their interior game.”
The Greek team, however, arrives after having also won two consecutive victories in the tournament, one against ALBA and another on the Bayern Munich court. «We go a little day by day, the Euroleague is so even that any game you win puts you higher, we know the calendar, we have more games away than at home and we have to become stronger in La Fonteta, away it will be increasingly difficult to win and we have to try to make the home court factor in the Euroleague,” highlights Mumbrú.
A victory would ensure Valencia BC remain in a play-off position and could even allow them, depending on other results, to overtake Olympiacos even if they remained with the same balance, given that they would have won the particular ‘basket average’.
Victory in Piraeus
The bad dynamics in Fonteta do not also apply to the games in Piraeus, where Valencia Basket has won in its last three visits, including the first round match in which it won with one of its best defensive exercises of the season by 56-63. The match was played on December 15 at the Peace and Friendship Pavilion with Jovic and Jones with 12 points each as the most outstanding taronjas.
On the other hand, the recently renewed Justin Anderson hopes that the fans will be key against Olympiacos. «We have an advantage that they do not have, which is our fans. Surely they will come to support us and be noticed. To be noisy. “After the two consecutive victories we have won, I think our fans want to see what we are capable of.”
2024-02-08 03:01:08
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