The Zenit coach admitted that it has become much more difficult to attract foreign basketball players to the club

Head coach of a basketball clubZenith » Javier Pascal spoke about the difficulties he faced during the summer transfer campaign.

Russian clubs have been suspended from participating in the Euroleague next season due to the situation in Ukraine.

— In July, it was just terrible. Because every morning I got up and immediately had to start looking at different players, trying to see if we could get them and if they would like to come. First, I just had to find the ones the team needed and try to figure out if they wanted to come. It wasn’t easy, Pascual said in an interview with Zenit’s website.

Has the process of recruiting foreigners become much more complicated?

– We don’t have Euroleague in the new season, so yes. It was important for the players. But we can’t complain about anything, summer is what it is. Yes, it was the hardest summer of my life, but in the end, we are happy with what we have built. It is the most important.

I have said several times that this is my approach: in the summer you try to do your best, sometimes you are happier, sometimes less, but it is important that at the end of the recruitment you have the feeling that you will succeed with this team. . That’s my approach and that’s what I’m going to do.

Last season, the St. Petersburg club became VTB United League champions for the first time, beating CSKA Moscow in the final series.

– The expectations are always the same. After winning a trophy, everyone thinks you should win again – despite all the incredible difficulties. But okay, complexity is not important; it’s important to continue to make our fans proud of what we do.

To do something new, you have to do it step by step. We need a lot of time because the team has changed a lot, we have a lot of new players. Maybe at the very beginning we will not be 100% ready yet, but if we work smoothly and diligently, then at the most crucial moment of the season we will be ready.

We all want the same thing, and victory depends on many factors. This season we will try to keep the trophy, but in any case, we are starting from scratch,” said Pasukal.

At the end of September, the VTB United League Super Cup will be played in Moscow, Zenit, CSKA, UNICS, Lokomotiv-Kuban, as well as two foreign clubs will participate in the tournament.

Official website of BC “Zenith”