Sergio Rodríguez: "One of the most important things that Real Madrid has achieved is keeping its base"

   MADRID, 30 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid base Sergio Rodríguez stressed this Friday that "one of the most important things" that the white club has achieved is "maintaining its base" in recent years, for which he predicts that they will be a "very physical" team that can "generate many points" to "counterattack".

"I think that if the possibility of returning to Real Madrid arose, it was a very good situation. For me, on a sporting level, and family-wise it was also very important because we consider Madrid our home. We have planned to continue living in Madrid when I retire. Power being in a project like Real Madrid's was very exciting," the point guard said in an interview with DAZN collected by Europa Press.

The Tenerife native, in a conversation with Piti Hurtado on the digital platform, commented on the reasons that led him to leave Real Madrid for the Philadelphia Sixers in 2016, "something you have in your head", despite the "very good" that I enjoyed in Madrid. "The atmosphere in the team was amazing. I think it was a good decision, both professionally, to be able to return to the NBA and play for the Sixers for a season, and also personal, family, to be able to be in another environment", he explained.

"When we decided to go to Moscow, the sports project was impressive: I was going to a well-made team, with a coach who had already won the Euroleague at the club, with players of a very high level. The important thing about going to Moscow was to win the Euroleague with CSKA, because in the end it's a great club, like Real Madrid, and what you always aspire to is to win the Euroleague, and in this case it could have happened due to circumstances, luck and hard work, and once you've won , I thought it was the right moment", he related about his experience in the European giant.

After the Russian stage, 'Chacho' joined the ranks of Olimpia Milano, a "very important" team for him and his family. "We have been very comfortable and it has been a wonderful experience for everyone. We are very grateful for how they welcomed me and how they fired me," he thanked.

The base also recalled his first period as a Real Madrid player, from 2010 to 2016 and trained by Pablo Laso, who "also understood basketball in a similar way" to the man from Tenerife. "You have to have fun and enjoy playing. For him, defensive rebounding, defense and then going on the counterattack, having more possessions, was very important. The team had a lot of talent, we scored easily and normally in games we went to 90- 100 points," he recalled.

Now, after Laso's departure, 'Chacho' has no doubt that the style will be very similar to that of Chus Mateo, with a "very physical team, with two very strong interior references such as Tavares and Poirier". "With a team that can generate a lot of points, you have to play on the counterattack, in transition to be able to get those advantages," he added.

Finally, the 36-year-old player confessed that being one of the veterans "will be easy", thanks to the fact that "one of the most important things that Real Madrid has achieved" is "maintaining its base, even though there are important players who They have gone". "Those who have come have been able to adapt very well to the rhythm of the game and to what Real Madrid means. This has been one of the club's great victories in basketball over the years", he concluded.