The German champion wants to go to the Euroleague play -offs – but the task could hardly be more difficult.
When Bayern Munich’s basketball players compete in Real Madrid, coach Gordon Herbert is more than aware of the huge challenge. “We are in Madrid the underdog, but we will try to stay in the game until the end,” the head coach assured before the duel with the Spanish top team for the play-off participation in the Euroleague on Good Friday (8.45 p.m./Magenta sport).
In the all-or-not game, the German champion needs a victory to secure the last ticket for the title fight of the best eight European teams. The high-dramatic first game of the Play-Ins, which Bayern against Red Stern Belgrade won on Tuesday with 97:93 (84:84, 39:46), was said to give the backwind.
“It was very important, but at the same time after the game in the cabin, I had the feeling that we are not yet satisfied with it: it is clear to the players that we still have half of the way ahead of us. We have more before,” emphasized Herbert.
Captain Vladimir Lucic also knows that the real selection should not be underestimated even after the surprising defeat against Paris Basketball (73:81). After the setback, Bavaria will “definitely experience a reaction” by the Spaniards, the 35-year-old said: “We expect a hard game, it’s all about everything.”
Real is “a great championship team, with very experienced players who have already won every title,” emphasized Lucic: “We have to take the game of possession of the ball and just try to defeat them.” If Bavaria was the surprise victory on Friday, Olympiacos Piraeus is waiting in the quarter -finals.