Lyon (AFP)

"The Euroleague is the icing on the cake," said Villeurbanne captain Charles Kahudi, who hopes "to do as well as last year" in Europe's biggest basketball competition.

Asvel begins Thursday in Valence (9:00 p.m.) its second season in the new Euroleague formula, a semi-closed championship, and hopes to register in the long term.

Q: Do you think Asvel has presented its best team for 25 years?

A: "In number of players already, because there are fifteen of us and the idea is that we are all interchangeable. Everyone has qualities to showcase, is focused, wants to show and do things. And in terms of quality and names on paper, it is very strong. In training, we have very interesting sequences. The objective is to reproduce it in a constant way on the ground to build and arrive at the end. for a while said that Asvel is the favorite for the championship. We are used to this costume and we are not going to hide with such recruitment and playing the Euroleague. "

Q: Isn't the main objective also to get the A license in the Euroleague, which would guarantee a long-term presence?

A: "In France, we have to be champions. It will be difficult. We won't be given any gifts, but it's better that way. We want to win trophies. The Euroleague is the icing on the cake, where we hope to do A season identical to that of last year, if not better. For that, we still have to work. For the Euroleague license A? That is the club's goal of course. He wants to register in the long run in this Euroleague but we, as players, don't really think about that, because some of us are here for a year, maybe two. The goals of the club are there and they are exciting, but we in the field, we want to perform, to win prestigious matches as well as less important matches to get titles ".

Q: You are approaching this season with some pressure and with a new and almost novice coach, TJ Parker.

A: "The coach still has some experience as an assistant. He has provided interim staff in the past. He has a team around him who is very motivated and who works really hard to ensure that this + armada + going in the right direction. Now we are the guarantors on the ground, because we have experience, young people who are hungry in a pretty well-constructed cocktail. We are all together facing an exciting challenge. Stressful? Yes and no because it's basketball. We have to have fun and take pleasure in order to give it to the spectators and viewers. We are the Asvel with very high goals that we must be able to achieve ".

Interview at a press conference

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