“What a terrible defense!” And then Andrea Trinchieri thanks Olimpia Milano

Andrea Trinchieri’s PAOK continues its preparations for the new season with an 89-77 victory over Olimpia Milano in a friendly match. This is an encouraging result for the Greek team, achieved against a EuroLeague opponent at a stage when the focus is still on getting into top form and fine-tuning team chemistry.

After the game, the coach analyzed PAOK’s performance, highlighting both the positives and the issues that still need to be addressed. The Italian coach was particularly dissatisfied with the defensive performance and with some of the decisions his team made in the final stretch of the game.

“I have to say that we finished the game poorly and made some choices that weren’t very smart. It depends on how you look at things: we’re working hard, and we have many areas to improve. The positive thing is that we got off to a bad start but found a way to cope with the physicality of Milan, a EuroLeague team.”

Trinchieri then highlighted the progress shown on offense, while also reiterating the need to improve defensively ahead of the official season opener:

“We moved the ball pretty well. It’s just a preseason game; we have a lot to improve on. Our defense was terrible, but our offense was a good display of teamwork. We need to pick up the pace little by little: there are 15 days left until the first official game.”

The PAOK coach then thanked Olimpia Milano for the assistance provided to the Greek team during their stay in Italy, including for certain medical needs:

“It’s a way to build bonds within the team. I know I’m asking a lot: I took the team away from home for 15 days, but I had a specific reason. In Thessaloniki, they’re renovating the Palataki locker rooms, and we didn’t have everything ready to work. I wanted to see how we’d react on a long trip. I always say the same thing—I’m very repetitive: what’s good today isn’t good enough tomorrow.”