By Giorgos Adamopoulos / gadamopoulos@eurohoops.net
On the way to the Final Four of the 2024-25 installment of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the head coach of Olympiacos, Giorgos Bartzokas, sat down with Eurohoops to discuss his efforts with the Reds and the approaching championship-crowning tournament in Abu Dhabi.
“Last year, we kind of reset and built a new team, after the departure of some key players, such as [Sasha] Vezenkov, [Kostas] Sloukas, and American bigs. We overachieved, reaching the Final Four. This year, we have a stronger squad, on paper and the court. Considering we ranked first versus last year’s fifth place demonstrates the difference,” he referred to topping the 2024-25 Regular Season, “Must-win situations exist anyway at Olympiacos. This year, even more.”
In addition to comparing the path to the Final Four in 2024 and 2025, Coach B touched on two games that practically decide an entire season.
“It’s very difficult to fit efforts over 70 or 75 games in two 40-minute contests. We live like robots, without any social life, without anything for one purpose. And everything will be decided in two 40-minute contests. This is very difficult for everyone,” he pointed out to Eurohoops.
“Only for the media and fans”
In Etihad Arena on May 23, the Reds will face AS Monaco. Team legend, a former player under Bartzokas, Vassilis Spanoulis as the head coach of La Roca Team presents an intruiging matchup.
“It’s a team that plays more iso than us, more players creating for themselves. The new coach has added elements, trying to make the team more solid in defense. He uses more players who are effective in defense. Some players have stepped up and others have stepped down in playing time, which is understandable. But there is no doubt for them to give it their all, and they will be very competitive,” Bartzokas described Monaco.
“It’s only for the media and fans,” he continued, downplaying anything special about facing Spanoulis, “I don’t think anybody on our team is thinking about the head coach of the opponents, nor anybody from their team.”
Vezenkov and Fournier
The interview went into working with superstars such as Sasha Vezenkov and Evan Fournier.
“I must always balance between disaster and ultimate success. With some players I can, but with others I can’t,” he opened up about his relationship with the members of the squad, referring to last year’s interview with Eurohoops and talking about not wanting his players to feel like pawns, “Fournier and Vezenkov are very easy to talk and work with. Perhaps the two hard workers of Olympiacos players; they arrive first and leave last. So, I am very lucky I can execute this.”
“We are talking about a player who is not a computer. Saying a computer means a player who avoids any kind of mistakes. Evan makes mistakes, and indeed many. He also has a great feeling for the game and an enormous winning attitude, which sometimes leads to overreactions in some decisions on the court. Because he has everything else, he is a good teammate, good with his coaches, always gives it his all, you accept this stuff,” he also focused on the French superstar.
“I don’t care”
On the opposite side of the Final Four bracket, defending champion Panathinaikos Aktor faces Fenerbahce Beko.
“Everyone has a specific way to handle things, and I respect that. I don’t care at the slightest. I look at myself. My character has good and bad. I just try to be myself,” he responded to a question about a recent message addressed to him by Ergin Ataman, the head coach of the archrival of Olympiacos.