EuroLeague: Scariolo: "I Believe Good Things Can Happen"

ATHENS. Sergio Scariolo will face another EuroLeague Final Four with the calm of someone who perfectly understands the magnitude of the stage and the extreme difficulty of conquering Europe. Real Madrid's head coach appeared Thursday at the official press conference ahead of the semifinal against Valencia Basket, delivering a clear message: the goal is to fight for the title, but without making it a personal obsession.

"The fact of being here already separates excellent teams from simply very good ones," explained the Italian coach during his appearance in Athens. "It's nice to have the opportunity to fight for a championship, but I don't think it's an obsession. Many great coaches never won the EuroLeague and they remain extraordinary coaches."

Scariolo, one of the most prestigious coaches in European and world basketball, has yet to lift the top continental trophy at the club level, although Real Madrid once again presents itself as one of the great favorites in a Final Four that will mark the fifteenth appearance of the white team in the modern era.

The Madrid coach will also have to face a semifinal that is especially demanding from a physical standpoint. Walter Tavares will not be available due to a left knee injury, and Alex Len will also miss the game due to problems with his left foot, two absences of enormous weight in the rotation of the white team's interior.

Despite this, Facundo Campazzo wanted to convey confidence in the depth and experience of the group. "The absence of Edy and Alex is important, although not decisive," acknowledged the Argentine point guard. "Our work has been to try to compensate for those absences with the team we have and with the offensive and defensive talent this roster possesses."

The Madrid playmaker insisted on the competitive capacity of the group even in complicated scenarios. "If we manage those absences well and take advantage of the experience and talent of the team, I believe good things can happen," he assured.

Real Madrid will face Valencia Basket on Friday in a semifinal marked by the Spanish rivalry and the search for a new continental final for the Madrid team.