Kauno Zalgiris player Motiejus Burba: 'We didn't come here to watch the atmosphere'
Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Motiejus Burba, a player for Kauno Zalgiris, spoke ahead of their basketball match against Beşiktaş.
- Burba expressed confidence in his team's ability to perform well and stated their intention to compete fiercely.
- He acknowledged Beşiktaş's strong players and the intimidating home atmosphere but emphasized the team's motivation to secure a good result and return home with a positive score.
Motiejus Burba, a key player for Lithuanian basketball club Kauno Zalgiris, is gearing up for a challenging away game against Turkish powerhouse Beşiktaş.
We have to be good. We feel good. We need to enjoy the game tomorrow. We know Beşiktaş has good players. We are a good team. We want to do our best.
Speaking at a press conference before the match, Burba conveyed a determined mindset for his team. "We have to be good. We feel good. We need to enjoy the game tomorrow. We know Beşiktaş has good players. We are a good team. We want to do our best," he stated, highlighting the team's confidence and readiness to compete.
Burba acknowledged the formidable atmosphere expected at Beşiktaş's home arena, a factor known to energize the home team and potentially intimidate opponents. "I've seen many images. This motivates us. We want to experience this," he said, indicating that while aware of the environment, his team views it as a source of motivation rather than a deterrent.
I've seen many images. This motivates us. We want to experience this.
Crucially, Burba underscored that Kauno Zalgiris is not in Istanbul merely to observe. "We didn't come here to watch the atmosphere. We want to return to our country with a good score," he declared, emphasizing the team's primary objective: to secure a victory and bring a positive result back home. This statement reflects a strong competitive spirit and a clear focus on performance over simply experiencing the event.
We didn't come here to watch the atmosphere. We want to return to our country with a good score.
Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.