Maccabi Tel Aviv Coach Katash: EuroLeague Return Is Political

Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Oded Katash spoke about the team's upcoming challenging EuroLeague week, featuring road games against Barcelona and Valencia, following a significant win over Galil Elyon. Katash emphasized the need to approach each game individually, noting that both Spanish opponents play at a high tempo, requiring specific lineups and preparation.

He acknowledged that recent wins have improved team morale and expressed hope for increased resilience, especially given the upcoming games will be away from their home crowd. Katash highlighted the importance of starting games strong, a critical factor for the team.

Reflecting on the high tempo of modern basketball, Katash suggested it might be a trend, similar to the rise of scoring centers, possibly influenced by longer rosters and evolving styles. He admitted personal motivation to finally defeat the current Barcelona team, a challenge he finds personally engaging.

Regarding the recent visit of EuroLeague officials to Israel, Katash stated that the message of wanting to return to hosting games was conveyed and that the experience was positive. However, he expressed his belief that the decision is "more politics" and questioned why games can be played in Dubai but not Tel Aviv, asserting that there is no reason for this disparity. He reiterated the players' desire to host games again.

Maccabi player Will Rayman echoed the sentiment about Barcelona's high-tempo play, stressing the need for Maccabi to control the game's pace, play aggressively, and be physical. He also noted the large crowd at the recent home game as a sign of strong public support for bringing the EuroLeague back to Israel.