Bartzokas and Papanikolaou talk about the Final 4

Upon Olympiacos’ departure for Abu Dhabi, where the Euroleague Final Four will take place, head coach Giorgos Bartzokas and team captain Kostas Papanikolaou emphasized in their statements that the team's full focus is initially on the semifinal against Monaco. Both highlighted that the entire season has been dedicated to preparing for the Final Four, with a clear goal in mind.

Initially, when asked how satisfied he is with the team's preparation, the Greek coach stated: "Of course, we still have two more days of training, as we're heading there a bit earlier to adjust to the local conditions – time zone, weather, and so on. As you mentioned, we’ll do the final things we need to do to be ready for Friday."

Regarding two key constants in the tournament – the consistency shown by the team and the familiarity among the Final Four participants – he said: "We were fortunate to have almost 20 days, aside from two games, dedicated to practice, and we added some new elements to our game, but the overall philosophy remains the same. Especially for us, with a stable core of players and the same coach for almost six years. The same coaching staff, so more or less, you know what to expect from us. I believe the same goes for the other teams. The philosophy is more or less clear. There are definitely some adjustments depending on the opponent, but overall, everyone knows roughly what to expect."

On the team's hunger for the trophy: "I feel that everyone is motivated. Everyone understands the significance of this, especially in a special year for Olympiacos. What we need to do is go and give our best. With full awareness that we represent something very important; Olympiacos and its fans. We want to do our absolute best. Beyond that, we’ll see what the result is. You know, there are always many unpredictable factors at play."

Kostas Papanikolaou emphasized, when asked what the team must do differently compared to previous Final Fours: "First, focus on the semifinal. Our attention is clear – on the semifinal, on the game against Monaco. We've had a goal since the beginning of the season. We worked all year with that in mind. Every practice in recent weeks has been tailored to that, so we can be as ready as possible for these games – first and foremost for the opening game, and then for Sunday."

When asked if the team needs to do anything different from what brought them to first place and secured a spot in the Final Four, he responded: "I don’t think we need to do anything more. Our performance throughout the regular season got us to the top spot. What’s needed is the same hunger, the same focus, the same fighting spirit, and the same determination that all of us have shown since the start of the year, in order to reach the end of the season."