Alba Berlin Facing Uphill Battle Against Euroleague Giants
With their current form slump and Real Madrid standing tall as the European champions, Alba Berlin's upcoming Euroleague clash looks like an uphill battle. Coach Israel González acknowledges the daunting task ahead, describing the Berliners as "an underdog at Real Madrid." Alba's recent struggles are palpable, having suffered three consecutive defeats and sitting at the bottom of the Euroleague table.
Guard Jonas Mattisseck, however, is refusing to back down, fostering a competitive spirit. He expresses, "We can't go there and say we're going to get slaughtered somehow. We have to put everything into it to show how much we want it." Despite the grim situation, Mattisseck believes the team can learn invaluable lessons from these stressful games.
Their last home performance left much to be desired, as they succumbed to a crushing defeat against Syntainic's MBC. The Berliners appeared disjointed and lost their composure during the match, summarized by coach González, "We panicked then. Everything went wrong and everything was bad." Guard Mattisseck was blunter, saying, "You can lose sometime, but not like that. That got to us."
Their path to improvement will be challenging, as key players Sterling Brown, Matt Thomas, and Johannes Thiemann will be unavailable for the Real Madrid game. Additionally, their recent form has not been inspiring, with just one win in nine Euroleague games.
However, Mattisseck remains undeterred, holding onto hope that their young team can rise to the occasion. With world champion Johannes Thiemann joining the lineup, Alba's rotation will get a boost, although the absences of Brown and Thomas will still be a concern.
Despite the looming obstacles, Alba Berlin's recent offensive improvement and team effort could provide a glimmer of hope. In their last match against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, they scored a season-high in non-overtime points, showcasing their potential.
Injuries and current form notwithstanding, the upcoming Euroleague clash against Real Madrid looms large. Despite the overwhelming odds, Alba Berlin refuses to back down, vowing to "put everything into it to show how much we want it."
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