The team with the smallest against the giant with the biggest budget in the Euroleague. A club with only 24 victories in its history in the Euroleague against the most trophy-winning European club, which climbed to the roof of the Old Continent 10 times, the last time in May last year in Belgrade. Basketball players that few people in the world know against Serhi Ljulj and other greats of the "queen of sports"...
Whatever you say about Buducnost Voli and Real, it would be clear how much advantage the "royal club" has. But sport is not just statistics, it's not just trophies and names... If that were the case, it wouldn't be so popular, because miracles are possible.
The champion of the ABA League has already done one thing, when he defeated the great CSKA in "Morača", and tonight (19:XNUMX) he will try to write new pages of the club's history with the help of a noisy crowd.
- Very good team, excellent coach, top players - that's how James Bell briefly described Real.
The American guard believes that Bubućnost is not without chances.
- We know the challenge ahead of us, but we will go out on the field and do our best. We need to score some easy baskets and give our best against a big opponent. I think we have chances in every game, we will see who will be better.
Bel played in Cedevita when Budućnost defeated CSKA, but he watched that game and believes that the outcome of that match can be repeated.
- We can beat anyone if we play like that. It is important that we go out on the pitch, defend and play hard, so we will see what happens.
The trump card of Jasmin Repesha's team is the fans, who will fill the holes in "Morača".
- Fans are always an important factor. When you play at home in this kind of environment, the crowd always feeds you. But you have to give her something to get her going. We have to make the game dirty, ugly, grind Real's game - Bel is picturesque.
The man who was brought to Podgorica as a shooter failed in his strongest weapon, as he hit only four of 34 shots in eight games. "Vadi" plays well in defense and says that the time will come when he will score.
- As a basketball player, you can control several things. Labor is one of them. I'm taking the shots I've been taking all my life, but they're not going in right now. I control what I can and expect to hit the next shot - said the 27-year-old from New Jersey.
And his countryman and another from the generation of 1992, Coty Clark, believes that Buducnost can handle Real, even though they lost 89:55 in Madrid.
- We have to go out and fight for every ball. It will be difficult, but we have been together for a long time and we have good chemistry in the team. I am convinced that the match will be exciting.
When asked who is the biggest threat from Real's players, the American winger honestly answered:
- Everyone - Clark said with a smile. - They are good shooters, have excellent team chemistry and have been together for years. You have to do things simply to be able to beat them. We are looking forward to the match, and we know very well what happened in the first meeting with Real, and that is a burden on our shoulders. We will not give up, whoever our rival is, whether in the ABA league or the Euroleague, we are trying to win.
Although Pablo Laso's team is great and has at least two great players in every position, there are also flaws.
- Every team has flaws, but we have to decipher that when we go out on the field, to know what we are attacking, to respect the game plan. You will see when the game starts what we will try to do - said Clark.
Gordić: It is not cultural to threaten the champion of Europe
Nemanja Gordić admits that the "Merengues" are better, but that does not mean that the future is surrendered in advance.
- Real is a big favorite. It is not even cultural to threaten the champion of Europe. However, Baskonia, CSKA and Barcelona fell in front of our fans in Podgorica, teams whose quality is not inferior to Real. We leave the role of favorites to Madrid, we cannot promise victory, but with huge support from the stands, we promise to fight to the last atom of strength, to the last breath. In any case, we are all looking forward to the spectacle that follows, the clash with Real, a game in which we simply have nothing to lose - said the "blue" playmaker.
Clark: With the new coach, everything is more open
Koti Clark compared the work system of Jasmin Repeša and his predecessor Aleksandar Džikić.
- The system is much different, everything is more open. The coach tries to be connected with the players, talks to each of us and tries to be involved as much as possible. He asks us to be who we are, but for the benefit of the team, not ourselves. He wants us all to be connected on the field, if someone jumps out of balance we all try to bring him back, so that we are all as one. It is necessary to know who will do what at some point and what we have to do to protect his back - emphasized Clark.
Lasso: Kol and Bitadze changed the look of the team
Pablo Laso warns that tonight's match will be difficult for his team, because Bubućnost has become more dangerous with the arrival of new players.
- The arrival of Norris Cole is important. He is an excellent scorer, but he also plays other players. There is now Goga Bitadze, a great talent, a center who shoots, can play with both the face and the back. The two of them have changed the look of the team, which has been growing from match to match since they arrived - said Laso before the trip to Podgorica.
"Merengues" arrived in the capital of Montenegro last night, and tonight they will try to reach their 19th victory in the 16th round of the Euroleague.
- We have to play well, nobody will give us anything. We are playing against a team that has a lot of quality, which is not a tourist in the Euroleague. Our results in the previous part of the season are great, we want to continue in this rhythm, but the greatest trials await us - said Laso.
The hope for Buducnost can be the fact that in the last round of the ACB League, Real defeated Zaragoza on their own ground with a basket by Anthony Randolph with the sound of the siren.
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