Olympiacos: For 20 minutes, Real Madrid and Olympiacos reacted (did not react). Blog – Konstantinos Melais

Konstantinos Milais writes about Real Madrid’s fair win over Olympiacos, the disastrous first half and the changes in intensity and energy in the second half.

“What’s your next step when you don’t know what game you’re playing”? The line belongs to Mark Rylance, who plays Rudolf Abel in the film “Bridge of Spies,” set in Berlin. This question is posed to Tom Hanks, who plays the lawyer trying to free him from the espionage charge.

Bartzukas can also express this with his players in the same place, in Berlin. Because the truth is that Olympiacos in the semi-finals was inferior to the conditions in the first half She didn’t understand if he knew what game he was playing in order to make his next steps.

Costas Papanikolaou speaks at magazine “It’s definitely very important to be on a three-game winning streak,” he spoke candidly from the quiet dressing room. the last four, But at some point this should not be enough.” And this is the case when we refer to Olympiacos.

the The last four It is a three-game knockout process. In every knockout match, the night you are there plays a role, luck plays a role and of course whatever got you to that point. Olympiacos chose the worst moment to depart from its beginnings and what carried it throughout the season to its final destination Berlin. Because having a bad night is justified, and being unlucky is justified, but turning your back on your favorite habits is not.

Half-time guest at a costume party

What terms have not been negotiated with Olympiacos Giorgos Barzoukas? Defending, fighting and ball movement. All of them together couldn’t stand it. The first half was a disaster. There was no defense.

Olympiacos were keen to enter the match in the wrong way and made sure to set the pace for Real Madrid players, Hezonia and Musa were unstoppable and then Campacho destroyed all the defensive tactics. Real Madrid is the best team they have EuroLeague One of the reasons is that it has players with skills, talent, personality and experience.

Olympiacos had to make the opponent feel uncomfortable, and in the end Real felt more comfortable than ever. Real Madrid acted and Olympiacos responded. Actually, now that I thought about it, he didn’t even react.

Barzoca players took second place in every ball. the trainer “B» He was constantly shuffling papers… trying to find the five who had the characteristics he wanted, without succeeding in assuming responsibility. Chus Mathieu’s players missed 8 shots in the first half and got 5 offensive rebounds! They finished the first 20 minutes with a score of 13/9 and no less than 12 shots in excellent conditions.

In the first half, Olympiacos looked like they had gone to an old-fashioned masquerade ball wearing something else. Maybe Alba since he was in Berlin.

Olympiacos was stubborn, but Real Madrid is not Monaco

In the locker room during halftime, no one knows what was said. But there was definitely stubbornness, there was an arrogance and a sense of reward towards the people who spent enough money to travel long distances to stand by the team.

Piraeus BCShe was Fierce in the third half. They threw on Alba’s uniform and did their best. Fierce defence, hands everywhere and in attack with strikers Peters and Williams-Goss sure to cut back.

But Real is not Monaco. The French won by 12 last year and lost out on eggs and Easter eggs after that. But the people of Madrid are something else. No, Olympiacos was never in contention to win, but they certainly put pressure on their opponents a bit. It also created a completely conflicting idea in the podium atmosphere. His followers began to believe more and more. The rest of the other three teams were probably thinking, “Oh, not again.” He clearly refers to the extreme scenario of an overthrow.

The difference in intensity, energy and speed

The most important difference between the two teams was not related to tactics, but rather how to qualify for the semi-finals. Real Madrid played with a higher intensity than Olympiacos, had more energy on the floor and often played faster basketball. The ‘red and white’ color improved in these areas, but… the bird flew off.

In such crucial matches you need many players to play at a satisfactory level. Olympiacos had McKissic in the first and Peters and Goss in the second. Thomas Walkup seems to have some “magic” about him The last four He was out of racing rhythm. Defense under Real Madrid has become so humiliating that almost every time they make a mistake, they close down more and more. Walkup has been suffering from the 6.75 line for a while. In the finals of the next tournament, he should present himself as improved offensively.

The three positions didn’t help at all. Wright didn’t know where he was or where he was. However, it is completely justified. He has no pictures of such games. Val is bad, and Milutinov is bad too. Three places, only two points total. This cannot be done…

Note: At Olympiacos, after the ungainly little final in which they have to respect the people who followed them in Germany, they need to calm down. To give their best against Peristeri and then dedicate themselves to winning the third straight double, which this year requires at least one win. break.

Note 2: Beautiful atmosphere in the stands and the respect of the “organised” fans for the families, women, children and groups who sat among them wearing the jerseys of the team they hate.