Bartzokas: «It’s still a very difficult game»
Olympiacos’ delegation left on Tuesday (22/12) for Istanbul, where tomorrow (23/12, 18:45 CET) will be playing against Fenerbahce for the 16th round of the Euroleague.
Asked about how he and his players managed the two home losses to Valencia and Real Madrid, our team’s coach, Giorgos Bartzokas, made clear that: “We don’t think about previous games. It’s a mistake to do that and we don’t. What we do is to look at our opponent. Fenerbahce ranks lower than everyone had expected them to. Despite all that, they are in a rebuilding process. Players are leaving, others are coming in… De Colo is now back, Vesely is going to be playing, I’ve read that Perez is also going to play playing. About Westermann, I don’t know, I hear that he’s headed to Barcelona. Nevertheless, they are a team with a fifteen high quality players’ roster and it’s still going to be a very difficult game, like it always has been”.
About the absence of Giorgos Printezis, he said: “He suffers from a lower back spasm that will not allow him to be with us in the game against Fenerbahce, so let’s hope he’s going to be ready for the next game. We are going to deal with his absence with a tested, mature way… Two other players are going to fill in for him, Jean-Charles and Vezenkov”.
«The team is above everything else»
Kostas Sloukas is returning to Istanbul for the first time since he ceased to be a resident of the city, as Fener’s opponent. “The team is above everything else, as always. We need to win a weird game for me. It’s weird because I’m going back to a place I used to call home for five years. But this however, does not mean I don’t want to win tomorrow and I hope we can do it. It’s going to be a very particular game for yet another reason and it has to do with the absence of the fans. Fenerbahce seems to be off its footing during its past few games and I think this is a chance for us, so as to make a good road win”.
When asked why he thinks the Turkish team has been playing this way, he said: “I think they have been working quite well, it’s simply of matter of many new faces and a new coach… It’s very early to make any assumptions. However, they seem to be far lower in regard to their value and quality. Because they indeed have quality and lots of talent”.
Asked whether the game in Istanbul is the chance for the ‘reds’ to change the after taste of the two home losses, the replied: “Each game is a chance for Olympiacos to win and do as better as possible. Each game has hidden dangers either we play to the top or the bottom ranked team. The two previous games against Real and Valencia are proof enough. If we don’t play well, things are going to be very difficult. When we play well, circumstances are better for us to win. We need to remain focused and play a very solid game”.
Finally, about the absence of Giorgos Printezis, he said: “Giorgos is one of the team leaders. He’s experienced and definitely his absence is a disadvantage for us”.