Head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dimitris Itudis, spoke to Sportal.bg about the physical and mental state of his players before game three of the playoff series against Real Madrid in the Euroleague. "Los Blancos" lead the series 2-0 after their two victories in Madrid and are just one win away from securing a spot in the Final Four. The match between the two teams is tomorrow at 7:00 PM in "Arena Botevgrad," where the teams previously faced off in a regular-season game.
- Mr. Itudis, two losses. What must Apoel do differently to stay in the series?
- We must win. But to win, we need to improve on many aspects. It's clear that Real Madrid played two strong games, but we also identified many things we did well and many things we did poorly. Errors, transition points, second-chance points, overall combativeness... This is the playoffs, for us it's everything or nothing and we need to enter the game with that mindset.
- The players likely feel a lot of pressure. How are they dealing with it?
- Pressure is part of this job. If you're not prepared for such pressure, you're better off staying at home. Pressure is part of the job. This is something that will motivate them even more.
- Are you facing any lineup issues, with players not fully fit physically?
- At this stage of the season, everyone is dealing with some problems. We are no exception, but the important thing is who is ready to step onto the court and fight for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
- Do you have a message for the fans coming to the arena tomorrow?
- Honestly, the last time we were here, the fans cheered more for Real Madrid. I hope they cheer more for Maccabi Tel Aviv tomorrow.
