Beşiktaş will face Valencia Basket in Euroleague

Beşiktaş will face the Spanish representative Valencia Basket tomorrow at 20.00 at the Basketball Development Center in the first week of the Euroleague. Dusan Alimpijevic, the head coach of the black and whites, made a statement to the press at the media day held before the match.

Alimpijevic started his speech by stating that they are very happy that Beşiktaş is in the Euroleague after 13 years and said, "We are in a wonderful position, at a place that we can call the pinnacle of basketball. This season, we will be hosting not only Valencia tomorrow, but also the biggest clubs of Europe, such as Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, Barcelona, Partizan, throughout the season and throughout the year. For this reason, we are very proud and happy. In addition, our existence here has been our club's 3 years. "It is a very beautiful, wonderful gift for the rise it has made. That's why we are very happy," he said.

"OUR FANS NEED TO BE WITH US DURING THE SEASON"

The experienced coach also addressed the black-white fans and said:

"There is only one Beşiktaş, not two Beşiktaş. First of all, we need to remember this. Our fans need to be with us in good times and bad times, throughout the season. We are a new team in the Euroleague and, as I said, there is only one Beşiktaş. They need to stand behind this team, these players, this organization, this club. We had a great atmosphere in the Eurocup in Akatlar last year, it is true. This year we are doing this in a bigger hall, in a bigger league, in a bigger atmosphere. "Therefore, we will be waiting for the support of all our fans. Here, we will be in a league in terms of quality that we can call the pinnacle of basketball. In a bigger hall, in a bigger atmosphere, I am sure that Beşiktaş fans will show their greatness and that they are one of the biggest fans in Europe throughout the season."

When reminded that he will be competing in the Euroleague after 8 years, Dusan Alimpijevic said, "Of course, 8 years is a very long time and not only us but also basketball has changed in 8 years. It would be very foolish if I said that there is no difference between me and me 8 years ago. Like every intelligent person, we continue to evolve and progress. Not only in 8 years, but in the past year, 3 years, 5 years, we have a situation that is constantly moving forward."

"WE NEED TO PLAY HARD PHYSICALLY"

Alimpijevic pointed out that they are a new team, but they still need to be a tough team. The Serbian head coach said, "We are an organization that has taken all our strength from the stands throughout the past years. We have a tribune that nourishes our team chemistry a lot. It is not enough to just call them '6th man'; we have a very strong fan base that even creates a 7th, 8th and 9th man effect when necessary, and the tribune will fire us up again tomorrow. However, we also need to play physically hard as a game. Especially in the match we played against Fenerbahçe in the President's Cup final. "We were able to reveal our team character a little more in the second half. Of course, we have 9 new players, we need time, but we know that we can do this immediately to defend hard and be a tough team, and we saw this a little in the second half of the last match."