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In the dramatic encounter, the Bavarians triumphed in 71:70 and became the first modern German Euroleague team (since 2000) to enter the tournament’s top eight teams.
Overall, the Germans were last in the Euroleague quarter-finals 23 years ago, in 1997-1998. For the only time this season, ALBA Berlin reached the quarter-finals, beating team AEK Athens in the semi-finals.
So the celebration in Bavaria was extraordinary, and that was reflected in the media headlines.
“Bayern basketball players have won spectacularly and made history,” announced Bild.
“Historic repeats of Bavaria,” said Sport 1.
The Germans also paid close attention to the dramatic end of the match with Žalgiris, in which Bayern were on the brink of collapse.
With 69:70 in favor of Žalgiris, Bavarian leader Wade Baldwin came close to fumble when Nigel Hayes hit him, but after a lengthy review, the referees still gave the game tool to the hosts.
VIDEO: Judge’s mistake? Grunwald’s defeat – after a dubious decision by the referees
This decision caused a stir in Lithuania, when the fans of “Žalgiris” were convinced that the ball had left the field of the fingers of W. Baldwin, and the Germans were also careful with the episode.
Wade Baldwin wanted to decide the fate of the game in the last attack, but almost lost the ball that went out of the field. The referees used the review to determine where the ball came from and handed it over to Bayern. But it was a very difficult decision! ”, Bild writes.
After recovering the ball, the Bavarians entrusted the fate of their season to Vladimir Lučič, who provoked the attack of Joffrey Lauvergne attacking and sent Bayern forward 71:70.
“The most important points fell to the basket 2.3 seconds ago: Vladimir Lučičius kept calm, took penalties and gave Bayern the victory,” Sport 1 summed up at the end of the match.
V.Lučičius also made a significant contribution to stopping “Žalgiris” last attack, when he heroically blocked J.Lauvergne’s desperate launch attempt.
“Lauvergne tried his luck, but Lucicius blocked him!” Kicker yelled.
“Lucius blocked the giant Lauvergne,” Bild said.
Getty Images / Euroleague.net nuotr./Vladimiras Lučičius
After the historic victory, the Germans also paid close attention to the successful Bayern architect Andrea Trinchieri, who in his first season in Munich led the Bavarians to the Euroleague quarter-finals.
Bayern became the first German team to make the Euroleague playoffs, and the Munich team owes it to one person. Andrea Trinchieri didn’t want to play arithmetic games and keep his destiny for the final round – the Italian wanted to get into the playoffs himself. He did so by defeating Lithuanian flagship Žalgiris, Kicker wrote.
The German press also paid close attention to the Italian specialist’s quotes. Immediately after the game, he spoke about a puddle of wine and, at a press conference, visually compared the game to hot chocolate.
“This game was like hot chocolate in winter. When the chocolate gets thicker and thicker and you can’t even move the teaspoon in the cup anymore. It seemed like the last half, but he was ready for it. When one team is under all the pressure and the other is not, they realize that it will be difficult, ”Trinchieri quoted Sport 1 as saying.
Getty Images / Euroleague.net swimr./Andrea Trinchieri
The Germans also laughed at the Italian comments as soon as they reached the press conference.
“I ordered wine and queued. And now I have to drink it during a press conference. Incredible, ”laughed the 53-year-old strategist.
Another person who made a significant contribution to Bayern’s success was Marko Pešičius, the team’s sporting director.
He fell to his knees after the final siren and burst into tears, which, according to Bild, was not stopped even by FFP2’s face mask.
After the match, Svetislavas Pešičius’s son spoke to MagentaSport television and admitted that Žalgiris’s decisive attacks were very exciting.
“If we hadn’t been able to win, my heart would have been broken,” said the Serb, fighting to stifle his emotions.
Photo from Getty Images / Euroleague.net / Bayern enter the Euroleague quarter-finals
Excited, he also hinted at the future: the quarter-finals, in which Bayern will try to win three times and advance to the final four, to be played this year in Cologne, Germany.
“Everything is possible. It would be wonderful to reach the final. We will see if we make it,” said M. Pešičius ambitiously.
A. Trinchieri also mentioned ambitious dreams after the match.
“It is surprising that being among the eight strongest in Europe is an incredible achievement. But why should we stop dreaming? We will be outsiders against the European heavyweights in the playoffs, but, as Markas Pešičius said, anything is possible. ”Said the Italian, quoted by the sport.de portal.
Why should we stop dreaming?
While the Bayern coach and manager had ambitions about the future, the German press was happy with the present. Without giving too much thought to what awaited them, the Germans praised the Bavarian achievement.
“Getting into the playoffs is a great success for German basketball. Bayern have joined teams with much larger budgets and one or more former NBA players: Barcelona, Anadolu Efes, CSKA, Olimpia and Fenerbahche, with other teams. in the quarterfinals called Bild.
It is true that after the historic victory, the Germans did not forget to put their hats on and against the Lithuanians, whose basketball is highly valued.
“People in Munich are even tired of talking about Lithuanian basketball and they are right. The Kaunas team proved to be a tough nut to crack and caused a lot of problems for Munich. As befits the Baltic team, they created problems for our people shooting from a distance. “, Kicker spared no praise for” Žalgiris “.
Photo by Scanpix / Vladimir Lučičius rejoiced in Bayern’s victory, which was determined by the blocking just before the final siren.
They summoned the Germans and “Žalgiris” coach Martin Schiller, who congratulated the team from the country close to him, which reached the quarterfinals.
“I congratulate Munich on their victory and in the playoffs. This is a historic achievement. To be the first German team to reach the Euroleague playoffs is a great victory for them and for all of German basketball. This is a special day in Germany, ”said the Austrian.
VIDEO: “Hot Feet”: good energy from “Žalgiris”, fatal mistakes and dramatic defeat
VIDEO: Bavarian dream come true: decisive moments in the battle between Bayern and Žalgiris
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