Panathinaikos overcame Fenerbahce, while Olympiacos, hindered by a poor start, was defeated by Real Madrid and eliminated in the Final Four semi-finals. In the EuroLeague grand final, Panathinaikos will face last year’s champion on Sunday, May 26 at 21:00. Earlier, at 18:00, Olympiacos and Fenerbahce will compete for third place. Both matches will be broadcast live on Nova Sports Prime.
After thirteen years, Panathinaikos has returned to the EuroLeague final, aiming for their seventh title. Ergin Ataman’s team dominated Fenerbahce in the semi-final in Berlin, winning 73-57, with key contributions from Jerian Grant and Matias Lessor. This final is historic, as Panathinaikos has never lost a EuroLeague final, and Real Madrid could become the first team to finish first in this format and win the trophy.
In the semi-final, Panathinaikos controlled the game throughout, showing resilience when Fenerbahce closed the gap to 51-50, and ultimately securing a double-digit victory. Coach Ataman praised the team’s perfect basketball while motivating his players for the final.
To defeat Real Madrid and claim the title, Panathinaikos will need to replicate their February 29 performance from the regular season, where they beat Real Madrid 97-86. However, if Real Madrid maintains the accuracy they showed against Olympiacos, Panathinaikos will face a tough challenge.
Olympiacos struggled against Real Madrid, who took an early lead with exceptional shooting, making it difficult for Olympiacos to recover. Real Madrid finished the first quarter with a 28-10 lead and continued their dominance, ending the first half with 56 points and impressive shooting percentages.
Real Madrid is aiming for back-to-back EuroLeague titles, with only Panathinaikos standing in their way. Although Madrid and Athens have never met in a final before, the reigning European Cup champions will face off on Sunday (April 26).
Real Madrid will be competing for their 12th trophy in their 21st final (Champions Cup and EuroLeague). They hope to break the curse that no team finishing first in the new format has won the trophy. Real Madrid aims to secure consecutive titles against Ergin Ataman’s team, emulating Jugoplastica, Maccabi, Olympiacos, and Efes, who won titles in 2021 and 2022 under the current Panathinaikos coach.
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, and actor Bill Murray, who attended both semi-finals at Uber Arena, are expected to be present at the final. Meanwhile, many Panathinaikos fans in Berlin and others traveling from Athens are eagerly seeking tickets for Sunday’s big game.
