UPDATE: It just wasn’t their night — not by any stretch. Panathinaikos was fairly defeated in the semifinal by a better-prepared and well-coached Fenerbahçe, whose solid defense kept the Greek team out of the final and effectively ended their reign as European Champions.

In Mathias Lessort’s return to action after 155 days, he couldn’t turn things around in a game where the Turkish side held a steady lead from start to finish. On one hand, the “Greens” struggled against Fenerbahçe’s aggressive defense; on the other, Sarunas Jasikevicius pulled two aces from his sleeve — Devon Hall (18 pts) and Erick McCollum (13 pts) — who led their team to victory.

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The moment of truth has arrived for Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce, the two teams that will open the curtain of the Final Four action in Abu Dhabi—just as they did last year in Berlin.

The Greens are seeking a repeat on their path to an eighth star, while the Turks are looking for revenge and the chance to dream of a second EuroLeague title.

“We’re here to defend our title,” declared Ergin Ataman bluntly at the press conference. Alongside Cedi Osman and Ömer Yurtseven, Ataman is at risk of being labeled a “Turk-slayer,” as Panathinaikos knocked out Anadolu Efes in the playoffs and now must eliminate Fenerbahçe to reach the final.

The Greens needed five games to get past Efes and make it to the 13th Final Four in their history, whereas Fenerbahçe had a much smoother path, sweeping Paris (3–0) to qualify for their 7th appearance.

Panathinaikos holds the upper hand in head-to-head matchups (22–17), boasting four consecutive wins over the Turkish team, including victories in both games this season. Ataman also has an impressive streak against coach Jasikevicius, with six straight wins over the Lithuanian.

However, beyond the cliché that “all streaks are meant to be broken,” the truth is that this pairing reflects a balance of terror, with no clear favorite emerging.

Fenerbahçe is widely recognized as a team that has improved significantly over the season, bearing the distinct mark of their coach. On the other hand, reigning EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos has reached the Final Four without even hitting its peak, making them arguably the most unwanted opponent for any title contender.

The biggest question mark in Panathinaikos’s 12-man roster is certainly the availability of Mathias Lessort, while Marius Grigonis is a confirmed absence. For Fenerbahçe, their only missing player since the start of the season has been Scottie Wilbekin.

The referee trio for the match will be Carlos Peruga, Robert Lottermoser, and Mehdi Difallah.

Panathinaikos is competing for a spot in Sunday’s grand final.

Fenerbahçe lost to Panathinaikos again last year.

Almost all Final Four tickets have been sold. Only 7 remain, with the cheapest priced at €2,482 and the most expensive at €58,279.