National team at the European Championship: Victory for “Warrior” Mumbru – but question marks remain

The day after the tedious quarter-finals at the European Championship, the German basketball players were released. While top favorite Serbia had to go home with NBA superstar Nikola Jokic after the unexpected round of 16 against Finland, Dennis Schröder and Co. enjoyed the good weather in the Latvian capital Riga.

Fueling and recharging the batteries was the case with sunshine and almost 24 degrees after the only 85:58 against outsider Portugal at the end. It was only on Wednesday that the world champion continues with the quarter -finals against Italy or Slovenia with exceptional player Luka Doncic.

Until then, it should also be solved by the basketball players’ accommodation problem. “The hotel does not meet the requirements for such a tournament. That is why we would like to move and made a corresponding application to the FIBA,” said DBB Vice President Armin Andres of the dpa. The “picture” had previously reported. The noise, the location and the quality of the meals cause resentment with the world champion.

Unusually long break

Three days are an unusually long break during a basketball tournament, but this should also come to national coach Alex Mumbru. After his abdominal disease, the Spaniard was on the sidelines for the first time during this European Championship after he missed the entire preliminary round in Tampere.

Mumbru suffered an “acute abdomen” on Monday last week and was taken to the hospital in Tampere. This is an emergency situation that requires immediate medical treatment. It mostly manifests itself in violent abdominal pain.

Division in the coaching team

Against the Portuguese, the successor to world champion coach Gordon Herbert shared coaching tasks with his assistant Alan Ibrahimagic, who had successfully represented him in Finland. Mumbru had lost weight significantly in the past few days, but had at least reasonably been ready and had the floor during the time. During the game, the 46-year-old sat on the bench for a chief coach unusually and for a long time and left Ibrahimagic command on the sidelines.

Question marks therefore remain how Fit Mumbru really is again. He has not yet spoken publicly during the European Championship. A press conference with Mumbru scheduled for Sunday was postponed by the association to this Monday.

Team happy about Mumbrus return

“I’m totally sorry for the Mumbru. The coach naturally wants to coach and then he gets such an unfortunate story a day before the European Championship,” said the world champion Moritz Wagner, who was missing from the EM, as a TV expert in magenta. “You look at it: he is not with full strength. He tries his best and wants to be there, but it can’t be fun.”

The team was still happy about the return of the coach and dedicated the victory to the Spaniard in the round of 16. “The coach is a warrior. You can tell that he has this mentality. We know what he did,” said captain Schröder about Mumbru. “It is not a matter of course that he is now here. Not everyone would do that. At the end of the day we count on it.”

And although he is obviously not yet completely fit again, Mumbru had its share. When the German team left the break for the first time at this tournament, Mumbru initiated the necessary measures in the half. “The trainer found the right words,” said Maodo Lo. “He calmed us down. He noticed that we are tense. He took the pressure out of us.”

Print that will not be less in the decisive phase of the tournament. Because after the Serbs from the Serbs, the way to the first European championship title seems free for the world champion in 32 years. After your free time on Sunday, hard work will be on the program again from Monday. “We will train and work on our weaknesses to get better. So that we are ready in the quarter -finals.”