It is the result of the work done in the previous weeks and months. After the forced change of some pieces in the summer, we logically had to go through an adaptation process, start working and understand ourselves with the new people. The confidence and air that winning important games has given us to the group has also been important.
Have you noticed much the change of pieces in Granca’s internal game?
Those who arrived are different players than those who were there. That has made us have to adapt our way of playing a little bit. In addition to being different, their adaptation to what they want from them has also influenced the process. Jaka Lakovic in defense and attack. All this takes a process of adaptation. But not only in the internal game, but also in the external game. Players of Sylven Landesberg’s experience, for example, have also had to adapt. Little by little we have been putting all the pieces together and now we are in a very good moment that we must take advantage of.
How do you evaluate within the locker room that the club has opted to give confidence to those who were already in the squad and not go to the market to sign to cover the loss due to injury Shurna?
It shows the confidence that there is in the club with this group and with the players who make it up. Also notable is the step forward taken by the colleagues who have had to replace John. Although we have all helped, the truth is that Roko Prkacin and Pierre Pelos They have taken a big step forward, they are playing very well and all of us have been able to take advantage of their good moment.
President Sitapha Savanein line with last year, states that the classification for the Copa del Rey passes through the Arena. What importance do you give to the match with the Lenovo Tenerife on Sunday, in order to achieve the first sporting objective of the season?
All games are important. I think we don’t have to put extra pressure on ourselves in the derby. Although beating Tenerife would mean defeating a direct rival that is fighting for the same objective, it is also true that the derby is just another match and there are still many days left to play to decide who enters the Cup. We have to play the game as what it is, a derby. It makes us all especially excited and so do the fans. We face it with a lot of energy and knowing that it will be a complicated match because the rival has a high level and always makes things very difficult for us.
The balance of the last derbies -eight to two in favor of the Laguneros- indicates that Tenerife He has taken the measure for them. What do you think it was due to?
It is a team that has maintained the same group for many years and that shows in the way they play. They are very clear, they know each other a lot, with their coach Txus Vidorreta they understand each other wonderfully and that has given them an advantage in recent years. Last year we were able to stand up to them and now we are both at a very good time.
You who know him perfectly, what has Vidorreta been influencing his players during the week?
I’m sure he will prepare the game very well. He knows us, especially Brussino and me from having trained us. Surely he will have things prepared to try to surprise us. We have to focus on what we do, on doing our job well, continuing to defend well so that later in attack we can use our weapons, of which we also have many.
How can Marcelinho’s impact on the Canary Islands game be reduced?
It is difficult to stop a player like him. He has a lot of quality and continues to play at a high level despite his age and after so many seasons. It is important to try to get him out of his rhythm, to make him not comfortable, to tire him out. But in the end all the teams try and he ends up getting his way.
Personally, to what extent is this match special for you? What is the best and worst memory of your time at Lenovo Tenerife?
It’s always special to play against a former team. It was the first club with which I was fully involved in the ACB, they gave me the opportunity to debut in the Endesa League. I felt very good during the three years I was there, and I am fond of it. My best memory is the Champions League that we won in my first season at home and on a human level I shared the dressing room with many players and people from the club with whom I maintain a friendship. You try to forget the worst moments, as is the case with painful defeats, for example the Champions League final that we lost against Virtus.
What is in the air during these days before the derby in the Claretian locker room?
We have hardly had time to focus on the derby. On Wednesday we returned to the island from a long trip from Romania and it was not until yesterday that we began to thoroughly prepare for the match against the Canary Islands.
The keys to beating Lenovo Tenerife?
The options for victory are, as I mentioned before, trying to stop Marcelinho. We have to make them uncomfortable and prevent them from developing their game. They are a team that passes the ball very well and we have to play as a group to set the pace. The idea is to defend hard to try to surprise them on the counterattack and generate easy points. If we achieve this, we will have a long way to go. It’s going to be a very hard 40 minutes and the fans can help us a lot there. We know that the fans are always there in important moments.
What feeling do you have about the option of Nico Brussinosuffering from a sprained ankle that occurred in last Saturday’s match against Zaragoza, can he wear shorts and play the derby against Lenovo Tenerife?
I hope so, that he can recover in time. The sprain obviously makes it difficult for Nico to be at 100%, but he really wants to play and I hope we can count on him in tomorrow’s match.
