"With this final in Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country, I know it means a lot to Max," he added.
Bordeaux attack coach Noel McNamara elaborated on Lucu's cultural heritage and how it translates into team morale.
"He is proudly Basque," said McNamara.
"Three or four times a season, Max's friends and family will come in and play Basque music in the changing room.
I absolutely love it. It sounds like traditional Irish music.
Small guitars. Catchy tunes.
He has a real pride in the culture. It gives the whole team that extra bit of motivation," said McNamara.
McNamara analyzed how domestic competition pushes Lucu to refine his game.
"Max Lucu is the player he is because of that competition with Antoine Dupont," said McNamara.
"Imagine being able to say you went toe to toe with him and have beaten him in games and won trophies that Antoine would have loved to win," he added.
McNamara compared Lucu's leadership qualities directly to other iconic figures in world rugby.
"Max is the heartbeat of our team.
I am lucky enough to have experience working with Siya Kolisi, who is a remarkable person, and Max is in exactly the same category.
The team would do anything for him. The people of Bordeaux are the same," said McNamara.
McNamara praised Lucu's immense defensive work-rate combined with his tactical distribution.
"He is emblematic of the team.
I don't know how many scrum halves there are in the world who make 15-20 tackles while also being the brains, with his kicking game and his ability to get us motoring," said McNamara.
McNamara rejected the rigid, zone-based tactical systems favored by some modern professional teams.
"To play based on lines on the pitch doesn't make any sense to me," said McNamara.
"You play the game based on space and opportunities. Fundamentally, that's how we see the game.
If it's not on, you don't force it. But if it is on you have to try to take it.
It is not based on where you are on the pitch. It is based on opportunity and on the quality of the players you have," he said.
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The final kicks off at 2:45 PM local time, with French TV scheduling forcing an afternoon slot to avoid a conflict with the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.
