Real Madrid returns to Kaunas without much at stake
MADRID, 10 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid will close its Regular Phase of the 2023-2024 Euroleague this Thursday with its visit (7:00 p.m.) to the Zalgirio Arena, where on May 21 it won the title, although on this occasion it faces Lithuanian Zalgiris Kaunas without much at stake .
“This scenario is magical, Kaunas has been my favorite city since last year,” confessed the Real Madrid coach, Chus Mateo, in the preview of a match where nothing is at stake other than adding to his record of victories and stopping another small crisis. of results.
The eleven-time European champion is reunited with the Lithuanian court after experiencing his worst moment of the season in terms of results with three consecutive defeats, something that had not happened to him yet. After losing consecutively at the WiZink Center against BAXI Manresa (72-83), in the Endesa League, and against Baskonia (91-95), in the Euroleague, they also lost last Sunday at the Palau in the League Classic against Barça (85-79), which also cost them one of their two leaders.
The player in this Regular Phase has not been in danger for a long time thanks to his great start and another good stretch that helped Real Madrid do their homework before anyone else and be more aware of what happens in the ‘Play-In’ Where will your rival come from?
In any case, despite the lack of a real objective, breaking this streak of defeats could be the best motivation for the Madridistas on a field that, despite being the scene of their continental crown, has not done very well in recent times. years with three defeats in their last four visits, including the two most recent.
Chus Mateo will not be able to count on two veterans such as point guard Sergio Rodríguez and forward Rudy Fernández, in addition to the young Hugo González, for this visit to a Zalgiris against whom he will need better concentration that seems to be difficult for him to maintain in this section before the decisive of the campaign.
In any case, they will face a rival who also has nothing at stake since last week’s narrow defeat (69-66) against AS Monaco left them with no options to access the ‘Play-In’, a goal they aspired to thanks to fundamentally due to the improvement that had been experienced since the arrival of the charismatic Andrea Trinchieri to the bench at the end of 2023.
The Italian coach revitalized the Lithuanian team, which against the Monegasque team broke a good streak of six straight wins, toughening it up especially defensively and on its field, where it has won seven of its eight games in 2024, including the last three.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
ZALGIRIS KAUNAS: Evans, Giedraitis, Ulanovas, Hayes y Birutis –possible quintet initial– Giedraitis, Smits, Lekavicius, Sumner, Dimsa Manek y Lavrinavicius.
REAL MADRID: Campazzo, Causeur, Musa, Yabusele and Tavares — possible starting quintet–; Poirier, Hezonja, Abalde, Alocen, Llull, Deck and Ndiaye.
–REFEREES: Lottermoser, Nikolic and Bissang.
–PAVILLION: Zalgirio Arena.
–TIME: 19.00/#Let’s go.
2024-04-10 16:17:14
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