Sergio Rodriguez Armani Milano
Photo: Armani Milano

Sergio Rodriguez talked about his expectations with Armani Milano and praised the Italian team’s head coach, Ettore Messina.

Here is what the 2019 EuroLeague champion with CSKA Moscow told reporters during his official presentation:

On his expectations with Armani Milano: “Every time I go on the pitch, I want to win. This must be the approach. But the true value of a team is measured in moments of difficulty, in the way you respond when things go wrong.

This is important. It happens to every team. Then we will understand everything. But it is also important to prepare to win today.”

On Ettore Messina: “Coach Messina explained the project to me, he explained to me that he wanted to build a culture, help the organization grow.

It is not a project that is realized in a short time, it is a long project, but at this moment of my career and my life, it is what I felt I needed. Of course, stability is important but both Ettore and general manager Stavropoulos are working for this.

I worked with coach Messina in Madrid. I was back from the NBA and he was in his second year at Real. I consider being trained by him a great opportunity. He knows how to find solutions and the right chemistry.”

On the high level of the EuroLeague: “The level goes up every year, it’s true, but having so many strong players and so many competitive teams is positive for the entire competition.

We want to be one of these teams, and if we work hard there’s no reason not to be. It is a different tournament from the NBA because the games count from October until April to reach the playoffs.

If you are not prepared the right away and you lose shots, you can pay it at the end of the season.”