FC Bayern ahead of German premiere
“We want to give everything we have, full of energy”, said national player Andreas Obst before the showdown on Tuesday (from 8 p.m. in the live ticker on sportschau.de). “We want to build on the games in the series, take a lot with us and play to win,” said the 25-year-old, whose team landed in Barcelona on Monday night.
In the Palau Blaugrana in Catalonia, the decision will be made as to whether the title candidate and main round winner Barcelona around the former NBA professionals Alex Abrines and Nikola Mirotic or the outsider from Munich will make it into the final tournament from May 19th to 21st in Belgrade. Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Real Madrid have qualified. It is also 2-2 between Olympiacos Piraeus and AS Monaco.
“Of course that would be a crazy step, because we are not really that far in our planning“said President Herbert Hainer. “We want to get to the top of Europe and we’re gradually building that up. If we get to the Final Four now, that would of course be crazy, terrific.”
“We have overperformed twice in a row in the Euroleague”, said Bayern managing director Marko Pesic. The development proceeds step by step. The new high-tech SAP Garden hall, which will probably be able to host more than 10,000 spectators for the first time next year, is set to be another milestone.
Hunter: “Never feel like an outsider”
The hurdle Barcelona could not be higher. But Munich believe in their chance. “I never feel like an outsider”, said American center Othello Hunter. As expected, the warm-up in the Bundesliga went smoothly on Sunday evening with a 92:57 win over Würzburg.
Thanks to a defensive masterpiece, Bayern had worn down the Catalan star ensemble of coach Sarunas Jasikevicius two days earlier at 59:52. “Anything is possible now”, Forward Augustine Rubit said. After the 90:75 in Barcelona it was Munich’s second win in the series. “We know what to expect in Barcelona”said Trinchieri. “We return to the jaws of the shark.”
Source: dpa