ASVEL's physio Lacroix bashes the calendar: 'It's a survival situation' / News - Basketnews.com

ASVEL's physio Manuel Lacroix said that the work is now more about injury prevention and rehab than actually improving the players and bashed the calendar for increased injury risk on players.

Credit: IMAGO/PanoramiC/Frederic Chambert - Scanpix Credit IMAGO/PanoramiC/Frederic Chambert - Scanpix

With the increased number of EuroLeague participants, its teams often face difficulties combining local and international games to form a coherent practice schedule. On top of that, injuries start to kick in.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne / Schedule

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens81-89 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan LDLC ASVEL VilleurbanneWed19:30 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne Olympiacos PiraeusFri18:45

A change in practice methods and injury prevention had to be made, and it's apparent some clubs don't like it.

"This has taken on another dimension with the new Euroleague formula and the evolution of the playoffs in the Championship. We reached the equivalent of an NBA season. [We had] 85 matches for ASVEL last year with the friendlies without the same travel conditions. It's a survival situation," LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne's physio, Manuel Lacroix, said in an interview with Yann Ohnona from L'Equipe.

"Everyone adapts. The rhythm prompts questions about how to practice. You have less time to work on the team. You do more individual work, video, rehab. After a victory, you can't celebrate. Two days later, you are on the court," he said.

With 18 teams in the tournament, EuroLeague clubs are guaranteed to play at least 34 games internationally. Adding local league and cup competitions to the total, EuroLeague teams are often left with little time to have regular team practice where coaches could improve the team's game.

"Our work has changed. We have moved from performance improvement to injury prevention, rehabilitation, and return to play. We want to maintain players throughout the season," Lacroix continued. "In bodybuilding, you develop strength by stressing the tendons, joints, muscles. Even if we make progress, the risk of injury is greater. Players accumulate a sleep debt that is sometimes impossible to fill between two matches when one starts at 9 p.m. on Friday and the next on Sunday at 4."

A similar opinion has often been shared by the likes of Andrea Trinchieri or Sarunas Jasikevicius. Namely, EuroLeague teams are often left with walkarounds instead of real practices due to tournament regulations and rehab issues.

"It's a bit too much. Players prefer to play rather than practice. But we come out of eight matches in two weeks, with travel... There is mental exhaustion sometimes to the point that some wonder - legitimately, given what is imposed on their bodies - if they are going to make the national team," ASVEL's physio said.

"This is dangerous for the ethics of the sport. Imagine if Kylian Mbappe wondered about his presence in blue. When we know that the situation is partly linked to the EuroLeague-FIBA conflict, this raises questions. The harmonization of calendars should make it possible to reduce this phenomenon if we want to advance the European basketball," Lacroix concluded.

Thank you for being with us! Subscribe to BN+ and browse ad-free.