Messina praises CSKA: ‘As every year, they are one of the main candidates for the title’ / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Vainius Sodeika Credit Vainius Sodeika

Thursday night AX Armani Exchange Milan will make its season debut in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague against CSKA Moscow.

Malcolm Delaney

Team:AX Armani Exchange MilanPosition:PG, SGAge:32Height:191 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:Baltimore, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

The team coached by Ettore Messina will miss only Troy Daniels, who's still recovering from a hamstring injury. Allthe other players will be available and ready to go.

Coach Ettore Messina introduced the game in this way: "CSKA Moscow, as every year, are one of the main candidates for the title. Last season they reached the Final Four, and they added Marius Grigonis and Alexey Shved. Also, Nikola Milutinov has recovered, who is their key defensive player."

"Of course, it's going to be a very difficult game, but at the same time, it's good to be back playing in EuroLeague. Hopefully, we will be able to compete the way we want."

Before the upcoming game, Malcolm Delaney said that one of the most important aspects will be to show the team's identity from the very start.

"We'll start the season playing against one of the best teams. We want to play and immediately impose our own identity. This game is gonna be an important challenge to understand where we are as a team."

There'll be several connections in the game between Milan and CSKA: Kyle Hines spent seven seasons in Russia, while Sergio Rodriguez played for two years with the Russian club. Daniel Hackett, one of the veterans of CSKA Moscow, spent two years in Milan.

Coach Messina had two different stints as head coach of CSKA Moscow and was able to win the EuroLeague title in 2006 and 2008.

Like what we are doing? Support us by becoming BN+ member.