Bologna –
Guest of “Black and White,” Virtus-centric broadcast of Nettuno Bologna Uno, Media Partner of the V Nere, Achille Polonara illustrated many topics during his speech. From the Italian Cup to his relationship with the city of Bologna, these are his statements.
“The win in Tortona gave us great confidence, we made a good collective effort where everyone brought their contribution. We played as a team both on offense and defense and we are preparing well for the Italian Cup. Obviously we wanted to win after the two losses in the EuroLeague and we did it, we responded well on the court and now we leave for Turin nice and loaded.”
“Regardless of who you’re facing, whether it’s Milan or a non-EuroLeague team, every game in the Italian Cup is tough, these are dry games where every possession counts, every action is very important and the more focused team, the team that makes fewer mistakes manages to get through the round. We have to try to face Wednesday’s game with the utmost concentration, aware that Milan is in a very good moment, but I am convinced that after the game with Tortona we too have gained confidence and we have to try to play as we did in Casale, so as a team and helping each other in the difficult moments that can happen during the course of the match.”
“What the coach asks of me is what he asks of everyone: maximum positivity, confidence, because he wants to see courageous players on the court who take responsibility and initiative, players who fight and throw themselves on every ball, who try to transmit this energy to other teammates as well. These are the things he asks for, beyond the technical/tactical aspect. The coach is the same person I met in Baskonia, not so many years have passed, I think he is still himself, a coach of few words but demanding, who makes every player respect him, from the youngest to the veteran, very experienced and who has coached so many high-level teams in Europe. He has been a player, so he knows basketball perfectly and that since he came here the results are very visible.”
“It is nice to play for Virtus, it is nice to play in a city like Bologna where basketball is sacred, despite the presence of a Serie A soccer team, which is not very common in Italy. Sometimes, in cities where the soccer team is in Serie A, basketball is not so much followed or is even in the lower categories.Bologna is lucky enough to have both, I’m not saying it’s more followed than soccer, but it’s very followed and that’s a crazy thing for a player.Seeing the palace full almost every game in EuroLeague, with so many fans in the stands even in the Championship and with so much following even when away, like yesterday in Tortona 3 hours away from Bologna, is a source of great energy and pride.”
“Our goal is to compete in every game regardless of the standings, we have to face each contest knowing that we can compete against any team, as has happened many times. It’s clear that you win and you lose, many times it’s the details in the final minutes that make the difference, the important thing is to compete and do what Ivanovic asks us to do, to fight, to fight on every ball and then at the end you look at the standings, but the important thing is to stay focused and improve every day even in the Championship perspective.”
“I don’t pay too much attention to newspapers or articles that are posted on social media or the web, I don’t do it out of controversy or disrespect, on the contrary, but because even in good times, when the team is doing well there is a risk of getting excited just as when things are going less well there is a risk of getting depressed.”
“I think the veterans, those who have played abroad and have so many EuroLeague games on their backs can give a lot of advice and drag the group along. At the leadership level players like Belinelli, Shengelia, Hackett, Clyburn, they are the most experienced ones with important palmares and they are able to involve and drag players at their first experience in this competition.Having said that Every player is very important, like Visconti, who plays less than everyone but is always the first to come to the gym with a smile, jokes, these are all very important things to keep morale up after a defeat or during a period of the season when things are not going too well. Everyone has a different role but at the same time it’s important to make sure the group is always united and moving in the same direction.”
