ESP - Navarro fine with favourites tag

MADRID (EuroBasket) - Spain captain Juan Carlos Navarro insists he and his team-mates are unfazed by the favourites tag as they get ready to defend their title at the EuroBasket.

Spain will head to Lithuania with high expectations despite a competitive field that seems to offer several strong candidates for gold.

But while retaining the title they won in Poland two years ago is unlikely to be as straightforward as some might make out, Navarro insists the pressure does not affect them.

"The team is used to this," he said. "While there might be pressure, we have known this for many years."

Indeed, Navarro pointed to the team's disappointing sixth-place finish at last year's FIBA World Championship as the kind of humbling experience that can put things in perspective.

"We know what happened last year and we are working hard to have a chance to do something positive," he said.

"It is true that there are as many teams as ever going for the title but we only concern ourselves with our own work, with the team we have.

"Together, we can achieve the goal and collect a double prize with a place at the London Olympics next year."

This summer, Spain will be without Jorge Garbajosa as they look to a younger generation, but while admitting the veteran was a loss, Navarro believes they have plenty of other options.

"Not having Jorge changes the way you play, because he was a very special player who opened up a lot of space and now we have to change our offense," he said.

"But we have many options under the basket with the return of Pau (Gasol) and other players who can play physically."

Navarro himself has been struggling with back problems, but said he was feeling good as the tournament draws nearer.

"Everthing is fine now," he said. "We are each doing our own physical exercises depending on our own needs and in my case the treatment is designed to prevent any further problems. We are doing well.

"We are fortunate as a team that nobody has had any trouble and we hope it stays that way."

FIBA