We’ve been to Zagreb. But we play Zagreb for the first time

Euroleague’s Game 3 let our team fly to Zagreb. The club named after Croatian capitol defeated long-time leader Cibona last season to qualify to the main continental basketball tournament. That’s why CSKA have to play against the new opponent in well-known city.

KK Zagreb was not successful in first two games being routed by Brose Baskets and Panathinaikos, so it’s not surprised that they are considered as an outsiders in our group. Still CSKA head coach Jonas Kazlauskas calls for a caution: "KK Zagreb is a good team in terms of its roster. The other question is that they don’t show the basketball they are able to show until now. Everybody is waiting for them to improve, and our goal is not to let them start winning with the game against CSKA. The teams called underdogs by the fans and the media are playing relaxed against us, and teams of that kind are always dangerous. So we have to be accurate, well-prepared and focused."

KK Zagreb is full of big names. Basketball fans are familiar with Mulaomerovic, Kasun, May, Ozbolt and Rancic. Besides, Sean May, one of the most valuable players in previous Euroleague week played for Fenerbahce Ulker last season backing today’s Birthday Man Darius Lavrinovic.

CSKA does not have ill and injured players on the roster. Evgeny Voronov, Nikita Kurbanov and Dmitry Sokolov were left off the dozen players who will step on the court in Zagreb.