By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
There’s no shame in losing on the road to defending champion Olympiacos Piraeus or to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. However, when Armani Olimpia Milan walks into either arena this week, an upset will be more than welcome.
Milan is spending a week in the Greek capital, arriving on Monday, facing Panathinaikos on Tuesday and Olympiacos on Friday. In theory, a win in either game is a “bonus,” and a defeat can’t be considered unexpected, no matter the opponent.
Still, things are a bit different this time for the Italians. A 1-6 start to the season, especially considering the ambitions of the club and the quality of the roster, is nothing to be proud of. Those results include defeats at home, and while Milan won the Derby d’Italia against Virtus Bologna in the EuroLeague last month, it lost to the same rival in the Italian League this past weekend
So can Milan turn things around with a win – or two – in Greece? Nobody would bet on that, and realistically, Milan is the underdog by any measure.
That might be an unexpected weapon. When there’s no pressure and you have nothing to lose, who knows what may happen? That’s pretty much the story in every EuroLeague round, so if Panathinaikos and Olympiacos prove to be overconfident, and maybe even arrogant, Milan may take advantage.
After all, despite the noise that comes with bad results, the club wants to fully support the project of this season and coach Peppe Poeta, hoping it can be vindicated in the long run. This kind of patience is rare in the European basketball world, and maybe it will be rewarded.
Patience only goes so far, though. Milan needs wins, and with nothing to lose, Athens may be the perfect place to start.
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