Bartzokas: “Tough game against Villeurbanne”

Olympiacos departed for France, where tomorrow (15/1, 22:00) they will face Villeurbanne, for the 14th game in the Euroleague season. Tariq Black did not travel with the team, as he is still battling the flu.

“Villeurbanne is better at home”, stated Giorgos Bartzokas, the coach of the “red and whites”. “It’s a tough arena. Our opponent defends well on the ball, they play good defense. Recently they have shown some new tactics on defense. They have good momentum, having won their last two games in the Euroleague, showing that they have slowly found their identity and chemistry. We expect a tough game, as they all are”.

Asked about how he is handling the excellent performances of his team in the past week, he responded: “I always follow the same process when it comes to preparing for the game, without fanfare and excitement. We don’t underestimate any opponent. We are professionals and we must do our jobs. I think that doesn’t have to do as much with me and my staff, as it has to do with the players. The players have to be and are professionals. And when I say professionals, I don’t just mean in that they are salaried but also in their mentality. In the way that each one of them prepares theirselves. We are a compact and that helps us make good performances and win”.