“We are a better team but we are not going to play in the final”
MADRID, 20 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça’s coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius, described Thursday’s defeat against Real Madrid as “enormous disappointment” in search of a new Euroleague final, due to an “unacceptable” second half due to lack of defense and sacrifice.
“We lacked a lot of attention to detail, to the things that we said we were going to do. It’s very strange to go into the break 11 up and tell the players that we weren’t doing well, that was my speech. I didn’t like how we were playing , we were successful alone. I tried to convince the players that we were not doing well but I have not succeeded,” he said at a press conference.
The Lithuanian coach insisted that the 52 points conceded in the second half are unacceptable. “We weren’t doing things right and that usually comes back to haunt you. You have to defend, you have to sacrifice. If you want to reach the final and they score 52 points in the second half, we lacked being professional and sacrificing. It’s a huge disappointment for us. I think we’re a better team but we’re not going to play in the final, that’s the reality,” he said.
‘Saras’ confessed that history repeats itself with his team, incapable of killing decisive games. “We have scored 83 points, enough to win any game with the defense we usually do. Very bad in the second half. We had to make more sacrifices, not give away, and in the third quarter we gave away everything. We came out with five players without a problem of fouls and we haven’t done it. We haven’t known how to stop counterattacks”, he pointed out.
“This happens to us many times. This is how this team is, a team with talent, but being so close to playing another final, they score 52 points in the second half, this is not serious. Last year we lost the final, it was a defeat very hard, this can be the hardest. This has to hurt a lot, “he added.
Jasikevicius pointed out that they will have to get up and find a way to be a “killer” team. “It is a very difficult night for the fans, for us. I am a little tired of saying that we are giving away a lot and we are giving away a lot, we are giving away titles. It is very difficult to win titles, but I see the numbers and it is more of the same. unacceptable 52 points in the second half,” he said.
“We have lost many decisive matches, we are not killers. It is the same song from the last year and a half, it is difficult. You have to go to sleep and get up. It is a very difficult defeat, there is no formula. Each one has to know that there is a very important title to play. Learn? We are not capable of killing series, I don’t know, it is very difficult to learn this”, he finished.
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