After the Greek tragedy of the semifinals, The Euroleague will decide with an unprecedented duel in the fight for the title: Monaco-Fenerbahce (this Sunday at 7:00 p.m.). Panathinaikos and Olympiacos fellthe big favorites, the biggest budgets, the best templates, the teams with the candidates for MVP … one more sample of the extreme difficulty of the Final Four.
Saras Jasikevicius, during the semifinal against the Panathinaikos.
On the benches of the final two basketball geniuses will be seen: vassilis spanouliswhich has reached the final in its premiere in the Euroleague, and Sarun Jasikeviciuswho will try to end his curse, because he looks for his first title in his sixth Four Four, the last five consecutively. “The worst of this is that we will not be able to have the ball”Greek told the Lithuanian before the semifinals.
I never imagined that Spanoulis and I would be at a press conference before the last match of the Euroleague
“I never imagined that Billy (Spanoulis) and I would be in a press conference before the last match of the Euroleague. It is something I never thought, much less dreamed. But here we are, and it's incredible,”said Fenerbahce coach. “We love winning, but we also love to compete. When we played together, all I thought was to have a beer or a glass with him later “remembers your Monaco counterpart.
Seven Euroligas between the two as players
In a suit, the Greek and the Lithuanian now transfer to their teams the teaching they taught on the court. Both know what the Euroleague is won short dresses and even did it together at the Panathinaikos in 2009. Spanoulis accumulated three titlesthat and others with Olympiacos (2012 and 2013). Jasikevicius conquered four: The aforementioned with the Athenian team, with Barcelona in 2003 and with the MacCabi in 2004 and 2005.
Vassilis Spanoulis gives instructions during the semifinal against Monaco.
The press conference prior to the final was full of anecdotes and clicks from its races. At one point, They were asked by Zeljko Obradovic, with which both coincided in the Panathinaikos. Jasikevicius keeps a great relationship with him. “I talked to him after the game. We exchange some messages, support, congratulations, of good luck … “, he said. “For me there were no messages,” Spanoulis saidcausing everyone's laugh, then The Serbian coach has not been spoken since in summer 2009 he left Athens to go to the staunch Olympiac enemy.
The worst of this is that we will not be able to have the ball
The one who triumphs in the final of this Sunday will become The first to achieve the title as a player and coach in the modern erasince the best continental competition came to the Euroleague in 2001. Before only three people had done: Armenak Alachachian with the CSKA MOSCÚ (1968), Lolo Sainz with Real Madrid (1978 and 80) and Svetislav Pesic with Barcelona (2003).
