The Final Four of the EuroLeague will be played in Berlin, with Fenerbahce, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and the defending champion Real Madrid vying for the title.
When highlighting the top four teams, it’s clear that we must start with the defending champions who show ambition to retain their title. However, they have already fantastically completed the preliminary work.
The Royal Crown
A lot of interesting things have happened even before the final tournament has begun. Madrid’s Real has set a record for the most wins in the regular season since the EuroLeague adopted its new format (27-7). This means their first step towards defending the title was more than successful. The second step was sweeping Baskonia in the quarterfinals with a 3-0 triumph without any uncertainty, giving them ample time to prepare for this Final Four.
Regarding injured players, it’s worth mentioning that Gabriel Deck won’t be part of the team. He was injured by his teammate Guerschon Yabusele, so he won’t be appearing on the court.
Some interesting facts:
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Real Madrid is convincingly first in the number of EuroLeague titles won. They have a staggering 11 trophies in their cabinet, but only three of those have been won in the last 35 years. They are also the first team since 1968 to have the opportunity to win back-to-back titles.
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Real Madrid has played the most finals as well (21). Maccabi Tel Aviv and CSKA Moscow have played the championship game 14 times each.
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Rudy Fernandez is part of a small group of players who have won the EuroCup, EuroLeague, European Championship, and World Championship. The only other players in this group are Dejan Tomasevic, Ricky Rubio, and Felipe Reyes.
The Red and Whites from Piraeus
Considering that the team lost Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Sloukas at the end of the previous season, absolutely no one expected Olympiacos to achieve what they did – reaching the Final Four.
In the regular season, they finished as the fifth team on the table with a 22-12 record. It’s important to note that they secured four consecutive victories at the end, allowing them to enter the quarterfinals in good form. They reached the Final Four with a historic victory in the decider against Barcelona, as it had never happened before that an away team wins the decisive game of a playoff series.
Regarding injured players, there are only two question marks. It seems that Olympiacos’ medical team will find a way for Shaquielle McKissic and Nigel Williams-Goss to play, although they are currently doubtful.
Olympiacos might be the most motivated club in this final tournament. Their opponent in the semifinals is the team that snatched the trophy away from them with Sergio Llull’s shot. That’s something not easily forgotten, which will ignite an additional motivation and desire in Georgios Bartzokas’ players.
Some interesting facts:
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This will be Olympiacos’ 13th Final Four appearance, with nine of those coming in the last 15 years.
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Olympiacos is one of four teams to have won back-to-back titles (2012, 2013) since the “Final Four era” began. Before them, this feat was achieved by Jugoplastika (1989, 1990, 1991) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004, 2005). After them, only Anadolu Efes (2022, 2023) managed to do so.
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Nigel Williams-Goss has the opportunity to become only the fourth player in EuroLeague history to win consecutive titles with two different teams. He achieved this feat last season with Real Madrid and now has the chance to do the same with Olympiacos. Before him, only three individuals accomplished this: Dejan Bodiroga (2002, 2003 – Panathinaikos, Barcelona), Sarunas Jasikevicius (2003, 2004 – Barcelona, Maccabi Tel Aviv), and Ramunas Siskausas (2007, 2008 – Panathianikos, CSKA).
Tensions between Mathias Lessort and Fenerbahce fans. 😬#paobc #fenerbahce #Fenerbahçepic.twitter.com/AraHNSMfnz
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) May 22, 2024
Some interesting facts:
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Kostas Sloukas has the opportunity to break the record for the player with the most appearances in the EuroLeague final. Currently, he and Matjaz Smodis are tied with seven final games each.
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Luca Vildoza has the chance to become only the sixth Argentinian in EuroLeague history to win the title. Previously, this feat was achieved by Hugo Sconochini (Virtus 1998, 2001), Manu Ginobili (Virtus 2001), Pepe Sanchez (Panathinaikos 2002), Andres Nocioni (Real 2015), as well as Facundo Campazzo (Real 2015, 2018) and Gabriel Deck (Real 2023).
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Coach Ergin Ataman is among the three coaches in history who have won at least four different European trophies (Saporta Cup, EuroLeague, EuroCup, EuroChallenge). The others who have achieved this are Dusan Ivkovic and Aito Garcia Reneses.
The Canaries
When Dimitris Itoudis left and Sarunas Jasikevicius took his place, the Final Four was just a dream for Fenerbahce fans. Probably for the players too, but they managed to “wake up” and display an impressive game in the late season, earning them a spot in the final tournament for the first time in five years.
Their record of 20-14 and sixth position in the table didn’t instill much confidence. It was known that they would face Monaco in the quarterfinals, a team considered the favorite on paper. It seemed that Fenerbahce lacked the toughness to respond to their opponent’s game, but they managed to clinch their ticket to Berlin after a decisive game, with two wins in Monaco. Three-point shooting as their strongest weapon and a few details showcasing how well this team has “clicked” indicate not only their quality but also fantastic chemistry, which we all know is crucial for success.
In this lineup, only Raul Neto is injured, having not played the entire season since his injury at the FIBA World Cup. Yigit Hamza is also sidelined for a while.
We have highlighted the head-to-head performance of all Final Four participants during the regular season when they played against each other. In that situation, Fenerbahce is clearly the best team, while Panathinaikos is not in a good position:
- Real Madrid 3-3
- Panathinaikos 2-4
- Olympiacos 3-3
- Fenerbahce 4-2