EuroLeague: Sergio Llull Appeals to Real Madrid's Competitive DNA Before Olympiacos Final

ATHENS. Sergio Llull will compete in another EuroLeague final with Real Madrid, the fourth in the last five years for the Spanish club and the eleventh Final Four in the career of the veteran Madrid captain. Hours before facing Olympiacos again, the Balearic player addressed the media, making clear what the team's mentality must be despite numerous interior injuries.

The Real Madrid player acknowledged that injuries have struck the team at the worst possible moment, especially following the physical problems of Edy Tavares, Alex Len, and the recent injury to Usman Garuba, but insisted that the group cannot use those circumstances as an excuse.

"We have to control what we can control. Injuries are part of the sport. They've come at the worst moment, but we can't use them as an excuse; we have to use them as extra motivation," Llull explained.

The Spanish point guard-shooting guard will face Olympiacos again in a final that inevitably brings back memories of the historic shot that decided the 2023 title in Kaunas. That shot over Moustapha Fall remains etched in the memory of Madrid fans and European basketball, something that Llull himself acknowledged with humor.

"I have a photo, a painting that a fan made for me… It's a shot that became famous all over the world and at every Final Four people still remember it even more," he commented with a smile.

Beyond that memory, the Madrid captain wanted to highlight the competitive character of the white club, especially in scenarios of maximum pressure like a continental final and in such an adverse context as the current one.

"We always compete, or at least we try to compete. It's in Real Madrid's DNA. Never give up and never look for excuses," Llull assured before another battle for the European title.