By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Big news confirmed by the head coach of Olympiacos, Giorgos Bartzokas, with Cory Joseph projected to debut with his side in Round 25 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, opposite FC Barcelona in the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Thursday, merely two days after his first team practice and three days after landing in Greece.
“He will be in the lineup, because [Monte] Morris and [Frank] Ntilikina are out,” explained the 60-year-old play-caller in a pregame media session on Wednesday. “I was impressed by him in practice yesterday. He is intelligent, and he understood our playing style. I do not need to say what kind of player he is. His career shows it. He wants to play at a high level, and he will understand what European basketball is like tomorrow. He did not play in Monaco, but got an idea.”
Also, Nikola Milutinov (head) has been medically cleared to return to action after sitting out Round 24. In contrast, team captain Kostas Papanikolaou has been ruled out with back soreness. The 35-year-old forward joined Keenan Evans (Achilles), Moustapha Fall (knee), Monte Morris (knee), and Frank Ntilikina (ankle) on the sidelines.
On the opposite end, Will Clyburn (hamstring) is back for Barca after five weeks on the injury report, as confirmed by head coach Xavi Pascual on Wednesday, with Juan Nunez (knee surgery) being the only remaining unavailable player.
“He will be available to play, but he will gradually return,” noted the 53-year-old expert on the updated status of the 35-year-old forward.
“I don’t pay much attention to the standings”
Before the clash in SEF, the Catalan giant sits third on the standings with a 16-8 record, and the Greek side follows at 15-8. The top six seeds at the end of a 38-game schedule clinch a playoff berth, with the top four also earning homecourt advantage in an ensuing best-of-five series for a ticket to the Final Four in Athens.
“Now we’re going to one of the toughest venues in the competition, historically and realistically, where they’re doing very well, with seven wins in their last eight games, and they’re very solid at home. I don’t pay much attention to the standings, but what we do need to focus on is that we won by thirteen in our home game. From now on, with the head-to-head matches, that’s something we always have to keep in mind,” said Pascual.
“We played our worst game in Barcelona,” Bartzokas also reflected on the reverse fixture in Round 15. “It was the only game we did not make a bid to win. Our team showed improvement after that game. Of course, we expect to respond with a different approach. We didn’t do any of the important stuff there. We have to play our game. The Euroleague shows that the same teams can play differently against each other. We will play better, and with the help of our fans, we will try to win.”
The Barca boss also emphasized Olympiacos’s strengths at home, highlighting their offensive pace and their ability to punish opponents in crucial moments, an aspect that particularly worries his side after recent matches.
“They’re a team that runs more at home and shoots three-pointers faster. They play a game where they always look for the best advantage, without wasting a shot before the final seconds, something we’re failing at. In recent games, we’ve been conceding too many points in the final seconds,” mentioned Pascual.
“Every game is different, but it’s true that Olympiacos’s roster is inexhaustible,” he furthered. “They always strengthen their teams mid-season, then another, and another… It’s crazy. With the signing of Tyrique Jones, they have another player who gives them athleticism, another change of pace on both offense and defense. He’s a super important player in this competition and a very important signing, along with other pieces they’ve added, like Cory Joseph. We’ll try to be well prepared, but we have to play well. I see the team in good shape; we’re preparing well.”