Will Thomas before the Monaco-ASVEL shock in the Euroleague: “The taste of defeat does not suit us”
Both close to a balance sheet, Monaco (5-6) and ASVEL (6-5) face each other this Friday evening (8 p.m.), for the first duel between two teams of the French championship in Euroleague since 2001.
Highly anticipated at the start of the season, the Monaco – ASVEL shock will take place this Friday at the foot of the Rock (8 p.m.) on behalf of the 12th day of Euroleague. The two big rivals on the French scene will play a part at stake: the team of Zvezdan Mitrovic (5-6) can catch up with the ASVEL classification of TJ Parker (6-5) and come back to the top 8.
Roca Team remain on two defeats on the road against the big arms of the Euroleague (Maccabi and Anadolu Efes), while ASVEL were beaten at home by Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. But ASM has lost only one of its nine official matches played at Gaston-Médecin (81-85 after extra time against Barça), a fortress that has become impenetrable.
Especially since Villeurbanne arrives diminished for the first stop of a six-game road trip with four injured players (Lighty, Morgan, Diot, Wembanyama), one player and four staff members in the France team (Lacombe) and two players in isolation (Knight and Osetkowski). Young Zaccharie Risacher, who made his Elite debut against the Metropolitans, is called up for the first time in the Euroleague squad. Conversely, Monaco is almost complete, amputated only Léo Westermann.
If the two teams face each other for the first time in C1 – there was no longer a duel between two French teams since ASVEL-Pau in 2000 – it is their third European duel. The two previous ones took place in 1975, in the group stage of the Korac Cup, with two ASVEL victories (96-97 and 106-76).
Note that if the former Monegasques Knight and Lacombe are absent on the side of ASVEL, James Gist will find his former teammate in Pana, Mike James, and William Howard his former teammate in Denain (in 2014-2015), Yakuba Ouattara, Lyonnais of origin.
Yakuba Ouattara, Monaco winger : “It’s a turn to negotiate well, but all matches are important, even more at home, against a difficult opponent and a competitor. We have to show that coming to win at Gaston-Médecin is not done like that, especially when we see how we are currently moving. We must respond to the physical challenge that they are going to offer us. From my experience, all matches against ASVEL are huge fights. It’s up to us to be ready, and to be even more aggressive than usual. “
Will Thomas, interior of Monaco : “It’s a very important match for us in the hope of regaining the top 8. We must first demonstrate our values, play as a team, in solidarity, defend hard. With the support of the fans, we will do everything to find the path to success, because even if it was away against big customers, the taste of defeat does not suit us. You will have to play with great intensity from the first minute. “
Paul Lacombe, back of Villeurbanne selected with the Blues, at the microphone of The team : “I have the impression of abandoning my team in a complicated situation with all the injuries, even if it was not me who decided that I had to go to the France team. I am really divided because I am delighted, of course, to find the Blues. With all the problems we have experienced lately at ASVEL, I told myself that it was impossible for me to leave the group to join the Blues. Then I was told that I had to go because the France team needed players. When there was the announcement of the two cases of Covid, again I told myself that I could not leave. In the end, I am in Pau. And even when I got there, I thought, maybe, I would make the round trip. “
This Friday, 8 p.m., room Gaston-Médecin – Euroligue – To be continued on Play OL / Euroleague television / or Monaco Info on Monegasque territory
Photo: Will Thomas (Euroleague)