By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
ATHENS — Valencia was knocked out by Real Madrid in the Semifinals of the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens, presented by Etihad, falling on the wrong end of a high-scoring affair at the Telekom Center Athens on Friday.
“They played better with a lot of spacing. It was difficult for us to box out. Congratulations to Real Madrid, because they played a very smart game, and we didn’t make good adjustments,” recapped head coach Pedro Martinez.
Despite the tough loss, the game marked a historic milestone as the club participated in its first-ever Final Four. The achievement highlights an incredibly successful continental campaign.
“We would have really liked to win, to play better than we did, but it has obviously been a very good season in Europe,” stressed 64-year-old Martinez.
The veteran bench boss chose to look at the bigger picture of the tournament run, expressing great pride in his squad’s overall growth and resilience on the grand stage.
“I think we achieved very good results while playing well,” he added. “We played well almost all the time, and I believe we did things right. In a few days, I think the assessment will be even more positive than the one we can make right now.”
His rotation was notably limited for the matchup opposite Madrid, as Xabi Lopez-Arostegui and Josep Puerto remained sidelined due to injuries, with Yankuba Sima being a healthy scratch and Alvaro Cardenas ineligible.
Focusing on Spain’s Liga Endesa for the remainder of the 2025-26 schedule, the Taronges currently rank fifth, with a 22-9 record and three fixtures left in the Regular Season.
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