CSKA is already in Pau

Today CSKA went to France to play the Euroleague game against Pau-Ortez. There are 12 players on the roster. They are forwards Sergey Panov, David Vanterpool, Matjaz Smodis, Nikita Kurbanov, Nikita Shabalkin, centers David Andersen, Alexey Savrasenko, guards Theodoros Papaloukas, Jon Robert Holden, Trajan Langdon, Zakhar Pashutin, Vasily Zavoruev. The game will start at 20.45 CET tomorrow so the team had a practice rather late if one would take a look at the time difference– from 22.00 to midnight (Moscow time).

According to Messina opinion he expressed in the interview for the Euroleague.net web site, CSKA is going to face the team of the very high level of athletic conditions. So CSKA must be focused on the defense.

As for the transfer itself. The charter flight to Pau attracted some attention at Vnukovo airport. Several employers even came up to the team in order to find out where the city is situated mentioning that they had never had a flight there before.

The city itself looked clean and warm despite the fact that the outside temperature was similar to the one in Moscow. On the way from the airport to the hotel the team bus passed several billboards announcing the game tomorrow. But it does not look like CSKA would receive some special treatment either from the fans or from the media. No newspaper representatives were present at the airport and near the hall there were no signs of public excitement.