THE Chu’s Mateo was described (by Sergio Scariolo) as “No1 of No2”. Or “the best assistant coach, at least in Spain, if not in Europe,” as the people who picked him as his successor point out. Pablo Lasso in the technical leadership of Real Madrid.

Against another Panathinaikos tonight (June 10, 21:00 Novasports Prime, LIVE by Sportish), the 53-year-old coach (born in January ’69) will make his official EuroLeague debut. Not because anything happened to his former boss (punishment, Covid, heart attack), but because he is now the official head of the Merengue staff.

The President’s Man

After 11 years, the Madrid team entered a new era and, for the first time in that period, came to Athens without the successful Vasco coach. Clearly abrupt, undoubtedly ungrateful and possibly unfair for what Lasso had been giving since 2011 when he took the reins. Matteo was his main partner after the first three years (2014-2022) and the one who accepted the most intriguing offer of the summer on the coaching market: to succeed him as team boss by moving up a position in the hierarchy.

It has long been an open secret that Mateo wasn’t Lasso’s choice but was imposed by Juan Carlos Sanchez. The man who was supposed to be pulling the strings for Lasso’s release in early July, citing serious medical reasons. The chief medical officer was also relieved of his post for allegedly refusing to sign the application for the veteran coach’s dismissal.

It’s almost whispered out loud that Sanchez has been gnawing at Lasso’s chair for years, considering he doesn’t properly manage the list he’s occasionally had in his hands. However, he withdrew when the results went against him and occasionally lashed out at other team members, making life difficult for the Basque. The condition born after Lasso’s health problem favored the promotion of plans for a new side in the basketball department.

And if in 2014 Sanchez chose Fotis Katsikaris as the most appropriate solution for the time, eight years later the promotion of Chus Mateo was the only way for him, given the mutual respect between them and the great belief in his way of working. in ideas and above all in the ability to build personal relationships with his players by developing them competitively. His past at Real, in different periods and in different positions, is considered a guarantee of stability.

It is not for nothing that he is repeatedly referred to, at least by his supporters, as the man who gave him the first minutes of his professional career Luke Doncic in a game where Lasso had been sent off. Just a few days ago, Janan Moussa spoke about the affection he felt from his new coach.like he was my older brother or my father“, while Rudy Fernandez previously spoke of his new coach’s enthusiasm to continue the legacy he has received.

Typical relationships with lasso

The fact that he only had professional relationships with Lasso, since they were two completely different personalities who had quarreled several times during their life together on various topics, and he did not hesitate when he was offered the position, naturally shaped his consciousness many than a man who did not show due respect. As a man who displayed almost a treacherous attitude.

Lasso himself, who was closer to another of his assistants (Paco Redondo), wondered when asked to comment on Real’s succession situation.Why should I care who coaches Real if I don’t coach them?“and he contented himself with only wishing”Good luck to Chus because we have worked hard for many years‘ which implicitly but clearly raises doubts.

Mateo needs to purify this characterization through Real’s games. The Supercopa win against Barcelona, ​​​​​​especially the way it came, and the 2/2 in the Endesa Liga was a good start to gain time, but the evaluation of his work will be sustainable and the criticism be strong. It’s not about science and kids.

He has been a first-choice coach in the past, working successively in Spain’s Zaragoza, Fuenglabrada and Malaga, and in China’s Shanxi. With not good results. That’s why he built his reputation as a runner-up. Either alongside Salva Maldonado or Luis Guille or basically Sergio Scariolo.

It is of course an unprecedented situation for him and the first time he has had the opportunity to command such a huge ship and in such dangerous waters. So far he has acted as a shadow coach behind Quinta, stepping in when needed. Now he is forced to step into the light to create his own thick shadow. There is no room for mistakes.

Anyway, many loved the betrayal, nobody loved the traitor…