Sergio Llull (Mahón, 1987) faces his 16th season at Real Madrid, now as first captain after the withdrawal of Felipe Reyes. One day seven years ago he said no to the NBA to continue living another dream, that of Real Madrid. The point guard attends AS before making his debut this Thursday in the Copa del Rey against the Breogán River (9:30 p.m., #Vamos). He talks about his career, his dream, the current moment and the future.
The fans ask themselves, how is Madrid? Perhaps it is the Cup with the most doubts in the last decade.
The team is doing well now, with enthusiasm, after having had a difficult schedule and many injuries. But I always say the same thing before the Cup, and it doesn’t matter if we arrive on a winning streak or with doubts from abroad, the above is worth nothing. The tournament is four days of pure adrenaline, good basketball and you have to prepare as well as possible for the first, for Breogán.
How has Alocén’s injury affected the group? Have you talked to him?
Yes, after the match in Malaga we were talking. Whenever a teammate is seriously injured, it is a very hard stick for the team. I’m not saying this just because of what he fails to contribute, but because of what a good person he is off the field. It’s the worst thing in sport, but you have to be calm and patient to come back as strong as possible. He is very young and will return as a bull.
Do you feel like the schedule has literally passed you by in the last two weeks with games being relocated?
The calendar is the one there is, but when they do it, the ones they least think about is the players. And the situation has worsened with COVID. They tell us that we have to play Tuesday, Friday and Sunday just before the Copa del Rey and we go and play. We have faced great teams and we have had a bad run, but we are calm and up in the two classifications.
“A review does not change my mentality”
Staying on 17 points at the break in a European Cup match for the first time since 1958 does not seem to be explained by tactical issues or the quality of the squad.
You cannot control the accumulation of matches. We also have many positive records as a team and we hope it will remain an anecdote. Now the good stuff begins, the titles, and we are very excited and excited.
The players often talk about an excessive schedule, as do the coaches, but in the end the clubs, the leagues and their interests rule. Is it possible to have a big sit-in and order the calendar knowing that the elite clubs lack income precisely to pay their players?
I dedicate myself to playing basketball and I try to enjoy doing it.
And after 16 seasons in the elite, don’t you have a calendar model you’d like? The other day Obradovic proposed one with six months of Euroleague, two of playoffs in the leagues, two of national teams and two months of rest for the players. What do you think?
That’s a lengthy discussion that can’t be tackled in a phone interview. Those who organize calendars and competitions must do their job.
Speaking of his experience and career, Rafael Rullán played 18 seasons at Madrid, two more than you have. Will you get over it?
I do not know (Serie). I’m focused on the Cup, calm and I think I’m working well. My wish is to play for many more years at Real Madrid and retire here.
“I don’t think Barcelona has taken the measure of us”
So it renews, right?
It’s not up to me either. If it were up to me, yes; but I am focused on the Cup, on beating Breogán.
In June the contract that he signed in 2015 ends when he decided to stay and not go to the NBA. Did he come to see himself at some point closer to Houston than to continue in Spain?
There was a moment when the temptation was great and I was more likely to leave than to stay, but I put everything on the balance and Real Madrid also made a great effort to keep me going and I felt very, very loved. That was the differential factor, the love and respect of Real Madrid and the desire to succeed here.
And in these seven years have you wondered what would have happened if…?
No. I am happy with the decision I made, it was mine, although there were people who did not understand it and still do not understand it. I have explained it many times: when I was little I wanted to play for Real Madrid and here I continue to fulfill my dream. It was the best decision I could make.
“When they make the calendar they think little about the players”
And until when?
I don’t have any plans, I haven’t thought about retirement or how many years I want to play. I am focused on the day to day, on helping the team, on continuing well and hopefully being able to renew.
When the team is stuck and a teammate passes the ball to you with seconds to go in possession because you couldn’t create a play or resolve, what do you think?
In the end it is the last resort. You always try to help the team, look for the best option, but when time runs out you have to shoot, sometimes in a forced way. Normally, many of those shots fall on me because I also try to find a solution for that moment if I see the team in a hurry or the teammate who passes it to you has run out of options. I always offer to help, to find a passing lane, even if it’s a little desperate.
“I felt very, very loved by Madrid, that made the difference”
I ask because last week he accumulated 2 of 17 three-pointers against Fenerbahçe and Barça, in the midst of a collective traffic jam, and received criticism on social networks. How do you carry them?
I take criticism well. People have the right to express their opinion, although there are many brave people on Twitter without putting their name. It’s easier to criticize like this, and probably without ever having played basketball. But I accept all the comments, in fact, they help me to improve and to try to find better options in the future. A criticism, however, is not going to change my mentality, neither my desire to play nor my daily work.
Breogán is the rival in the quarterfinals. What do you think of Musa’s impact on the ACB and a newly promoted team?
They are doing a great basketball with Musa as a reference. He plays at an incredible level because he has great talent, but also a lot of character, which is something I like. He never hides. But Breogán is not just Musa, he has great players and they are surely highly motivated.
“Musa doesn’t hide, she has character and I like that”
Not only before a hypothetical Cup final on Sunday, but for everything that lies ahead, does Barcelona have the measure?
Barça has a great team, great players in all positions, a lot of talent and they play very physically, and it’s true that they’ve beaten us in recent games; but I don’t think they have the measure taken for us either. In the end, each Clásico is different and we have to keep improving so that we can win the next one.
Have you thanked Abrines for his support after his comb at the Palau?
That already happened; I apologized. I thank Álex for the gesture he had, but I’m not going to talk about it anymore.
You have celebrated the return of Deck, do you miss more colleagues who left? Would you like them to come back?
There are great players who have left Madrid for the NBA. With Gaby’s return I think we’ve improved as a team, even though he’s injured now. He is a player with a lot of character who always gives us a plus. The team is very complete, to do great things.
The previous one: Musa and Breogán, before a touched Madrid
Dzanan Musa, 22-year-old forward and 2.05, is the sensation of the ACB, leader in PIR (22.2) and points (19.8). The group and other pieces such as Bell-Haynes, Kalinoski, Mahalbasic… work at the Breogán. Madrid arrives without Alocén and with the doubts of Rudy, Taylor and Deck. If Rudy is not there, he must register Juan Núñez for the quotas. And if Deck goes in, Thompkins will go out.