Maurizio Gherardini: Excluding Maccabi from the EuroLeague? No club has made this proposal

Maurizio Gherardini, GM of Fenerbahçe, was Jack Bonora’s guest on Sport Club in Italy. Here are some of his comments.

ON THE EUROLEAGUE PLAY-OFF RACE

“At the moment nobody knows. The season is still long enough to determine the probable ten involved between the play-offs and the play-in. It’s strange to say, but it’s still early. Even the big teams on the outside have shown they can play with their recent victories. It is best not to get too carried away with predictions. Here, Real, Barcelona, Panathinaikos and Munich have a kind of imprimatur on the season. Virtus and Olympiacos have had excellent seasons, but the six or eight behind them can believe in their chances. I am also talking about Milan, Efes and Kaunas.

ON DUBAI

“These are premature but important conversations. Certainly, the EuroLeague is in a fundamental phase of its growth because there are questions on the table for tomorrow. Dubai is a suggestive hypothesis, not only because of the money, but also to develop a discourse in this area. There are also many other realities that are interested in finding a way to enter the EuroLeague and participate in its development in the future. It is a project that is growing, with only positive indicators, and there are realities that are willing to make sacrifices to be part of it.

ON RUSSIAN CLUB RETURN TO THE EUROLEAGUE

“For now, the reality is what it is. We hope for peace tomorrow. The only thing that is certain is that Cska is a shareholder and will remain so. The rest we will see when the situation is clear and defined, but today it is not on the table”.

ON MACCABI’S EXCLUSION FROM THE EUROLEAGUE

“I prefer to stay away from political considerations. A lot of inaccuracies have come out, there has never been a club that has made such a request”.

ON SASHA DJORDJEVIC

“We haven’t had any problems on a personal level. Sasha is an exquisite person. The only thing is that you would like him to be meaner, more aggressive. He remains a person of quality, of basketball, who knows well the times of dressing room management. Given the landscape, a coach of his level should find a European position. He deserves it as a quality coach and as a person.