By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giorgos Bartzokas shared an update and his personal opinion about the heated incident following Round 26 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season and an overtime loss for Olympiacos against Dubai on Tuesday, specifically a confrontation with a fan on the Coca-Cola Arena stands.
“Obviously, this postgame incident does not honor me, and, of course, it was not nice to watch. Of course, what happens in venues is not my responsibility to analyze or correct. Generally, I prepare myself when I go to hostile environments, where they curse at me, and I never react. When a mass of people, the mob, curses at you, it is part of our job. Olympiacos is going to Dubai and having some guys curse at me for two hours on a personal level, but also at the end of the game, unfortunately, I often lose my temper, and I have no way of handling it, and I go straight to the point and answer,” he explained during a media session on Thursday.
“I would like to tell you that the main person who was behind this incident called me this morning. He found my number and called me this morning, and apologized for the behavior of others and himself. He told me that it got away from them and that this was not their intention,” he continued. “I told him that, of course, I accept the apology, anything can happen in life, but as you know, each of us has an identity. This is my own identity, with the good and the bad. It’s not something I’m happy about. I’ll try not to repeat it, but for all the moralists, I would like to ask them what happens if someone comes to your work and curses at you for two hours.”
The 60-year-old head coach of Olympiacos reacted to the official announcement of Panathinaikos Aktor as well.
“We have never had a statement about one of our members. I have no problem handling this. My problem is if some people’s aesthetics were offended, and that’s what I want to emphasize,” he said. “What’s happening with Panathinaikos and the media it has controlled for six years, there’s a reason for it. I’m happy with who I am. I have at least one constant. The media that constantly retracts should be worried.”
“As you know, I don’t like publicity, neither positive nor negative, I feel uncomfortable. The wider Olympiacos family understands, and that makes me happy,” concluded Bartzokas.
Papanikolaou remains out
Completing a double-game EuroLeague on Friday, Bartzokas’ side welcomes Virtus Bologna in the Peace and Friendship Stadium, with team captain Kostas Papanikolaou (back) set to miss a third straight game in Europe’s premier club competition. Giannoulis Larentzakis sustained a left foot injury during Thursday’s practice and was added to the list of unavailable players, alongside Monte Morris (knee), Frank Ntilikina (ankle), Keenan Evans (Achilles), and Moustapha Fall (knee).
The Reds carry a 16-9 W-L tally, which is tied for second place, two games behind leader Fenerbahce Beko. At 12-14 and three games away from the Play-In Showdown zone, Matt Morgan (ankle) and Mouhamet Diouf (knee) will remain day-to-day but sidelined for the team coached by Dusko Ivanovic, with Alessandro Pajola (knee) out as well.