Pedro Rivero, coach of Zunder Palencia: “Andorra is everyone’s favourite, the Cup final is going to be a very tough game”
The purple coach acknowledges that winning the title would be “incredible”, but he does not intend to think about it “until the week of the game”
The Zunder Palencia put on Friday the
finishing touch to his first lap almost perfect with his victory at home against Melilla Baloncesto. Pedro Rivero’s team has equaled the record of victories achieved in the LEB Oro in the first round with a balance of 16-1, also ensuring that the Princess Cup will be played in Palencia on February 10 or 11. The purple team has eleven consecutive victories and displays a great game on the court. Despite his moment in spectacular form, Pedro Rivero keeps his feet on the ground, although he acknowledges that everyone at the club is satisfied with what they are achieving this season.
–How is the team after winning in Melilla and taking the Princess Cup to Palencia?
–Well, very happy because the first round has been spectacular and the match in Melilla had the prize that, if we managed to win, we could play the Cup final at home. In the end we are very excited for ourselves and especially for the people.
–There is total communion between the coaching staff, the squad and the fans. Had she experienced something similar in his career?
–In the end last year it was very similar, people enjoyed a lot in the Pavilion with the team, but this year we are a little higher and the results are accompanying. We haven’t had any bad moments yet, but I think we have to take it easy because I think the bad moments will come. But hey, for now you have to enjoy.
–Expectations for the Princess Cup final are very high. Is the match against Andorra going to be very difficult?
–If we think it’s going to be easy against the team that only deserves promotion this season, then we have a problem. It’s going to be a very tough game in which anything can happen, obviously. The favorite comes to everything, so you have to try to work to the maximum and focused from the first moment, knowing that at no time can we relax because it will not be easy at all.
the field factor
“It always helps, as is normal, but the game is not going to be based on a single condition”
–The team has equaled the best first round in the LEB Oro League, also playing very good basketball. How important is the way of winning over the result?
Well, it’s a bit of everything. We have to manage to get the games out no matter what, but if you do it by playing well, the game plan has worked and the players find their place in the game, because it’s easier to build than if they only score three baskets. In such a positive dynamic it is easier for everyone to be involved.
–Statistics say that playing the Cup final at home is a great advantage. What balance does the field factor make?
–At the moment I haven’t thought too much about it either, when the time comes it will come. The pitch factor always helps, as is normal, but it depends on so many things that you can’t base a game on a single condition either. In any case, I am convinced that, obviously, the fans will help us a lot.
–The fans are showing their unconditional support. It is also a prize for the stands of the Pavilion…
–Of course it is a prize for the fans. In the end, the match against Melilla had such an impact was only for this reason, because being able to play the Cup at home has the condition that many more people enjoy than if it were our turn to go to Andorra and practically no one would be able to travel from ours. It’s for us, but it’s also a lot for the people, for the club and for everyone in general.
–All the lights are already pointing to the final of the Princess Cup. Will it be easy to stabilize centered in the League?
-The objective is to continue with the same path and dynamically that we were taking, not because now we are seeing ourselves in this we are going to turn everything around and think that now we are Burgos or Andorra, because it is not true and it is not reality. We have to continue working day by day and continue to achieve things, not think about anything beyond that. I don’t plan to talk about the Princess Cup or anything until game week arrives. We will talk then in the first training session to prepare for the game, but until that moment arrives, there will be no Princess Cup.
The dream of promotion
«The moment we think that, we are going to load ourselves with responsibility without any sense»
–Before the Cup final there are three difficult matches. Do you think the team can decenter?
“Of course, we have to be prepared for that. Trying to do well in these games and continue with our dynamics to arrive at a good moment for that day. It is useless to play three bad games now and then play a Cup final with bad feelings.
No distractions
What would it mean to you to be champion of the Copa Princesa with Palencia?
-Well, like when you win something, it would be phenomenal. For us, winning the Cup would be incredible, but I’m not going to think about it until that day, because in the end we’re going to start talking about something that I don’t want to take up any longer because we already have the match against Valladolid this week, which hasn’t lost no game at home and it is one of the toughest outings in the competition. The moment we get a little distracted, we’re going to mess it up.
–Once the first round is completed, is it a realistic goal to be the first and go straight to the Endesa League?
–I leave that for the media and for the people, let them speculate what they want and enjoy it a lot, but this is not the case. The moment we think that, we are going to load ourselves with responsibility without any sense and then, when things don’t go well, it will seem that everything is a disaster, and it is not reality.