Olimpia Milano-Virtus Bologna, Giampaolo Ricci in trepidation for Euroleague derby

Olimpia Milano will host Virtus Bologna at the Forum

It’s Euroleague derby time between Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna. The meneghini and the felsinei will face each other in the Assago showdown, valid for the top European competition, on Wednesday evening, Nov. 9.

Giampaolo Ricci, player of the biancorossi and former captain of the Vu Nere, spoke to ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’ about the match: “It will be tough. After two losses in a row in the Euroleague, it comes at the right time for us. We have very high motivation. It’s a good spot for Italian basketball. And it’s good to see Virtus back at the level it deserves.”

“In Pesaro we played a very good game. We have to defend better, with more energy, aggressiveness, be dirtier. With so many games, there is little time to practice and instead we need a lot of time to spend together. After the defeats, we talked to each other and looked at each other’s faces,” Pippo Ricci continued.

Finally, he spoke about the retreat with Pozzecco’s National Team, which will begin after the match, forcing the Milan and Bologna Azzurri to ‘compromise’: “It will be strange, maybe we will travel to Pesaro on the same car with the Virtus Azzurri. The schedule is tough but the national team for me comes first. And then I’m looking forward to playing against Spain.”