Papanikolaou: «We expect a red OAKA»

Olympiacos trained at the Telekom Arena one day before the crucial Final Four semifinal against Fenerbahce, and our team’s camera was there to capture the moments, while Kostas Papanikolaou spoke about the big game and more.

Our captain spoke to OlympiacosBC TV about the Final Four, which is being held at the OAKA stadium this year, and said:

On the image he expects to see: “A red OAKA.”

On whether there is a player who, when he sees him performing well, makes him feel victory is certain: “It’s not just one player’s job. We all need to be on the same page. Tomorrow’s game doesn’t offer a second chance.”

On the special characteristic of this year’s Olympiacos team that made it stand out: “I don’t know if there’s a keyword to answer that. Definitely the way we worked throughout the whole season.”

On whether it is harder to reach a Final Four or to handle the pressure and responsibility of one: “The fact that we’ve managed to reach five consecutive Final Fours doesn’t mean it should be taken for granted, so both aspects are equally difficult.”

On whether wanting something so badly can become “dangerous”: “I don’t consider it dangerous. Wanting something this badly is what has brought us to the Final Four over the past five years.”

On whether he's looking forward to the fans packing the arena: "Definitely. I'm looking forward to seeing the fans in the stands, for the tipoff, for us to be ready. It's something we want to create all together".