EuroLeague Final Four excitement begins

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will begin on Friday, igniting a wave of excitement among basketball fans worldwide.

The action will tip off at 1500 GMT with Olympiacos vs. Monaco match, while Barcelona will face Real Madrid at 1800 GMT at Zalgirio Arena, Kaunas.

It has been 13 years since Barcelona won the EuroLeague title as Sarunas Jasikevicius's men aim for their first EuroLeague title in over a decade.

The Blaugrana have the chance to clinch their third title, having previously won the title in 2003 and 2010 and finished as runner-up on five occasions.

Barca was the runner-up in 2021, suffering a loss to Anadolu Efes in the championship game.

Lithuanian coach Jasikevicius, who has four EuroLeague trophies in his playing career, has the ambition to be the fourth man to win the title both as a coach and player. Armenak Alachachan, Lolo Sainz, and Svetislav Pesic are the only three basketballers in this exclusive club.

- Monaco into their 1st Final Four

Real Madrid are the most successful team in EuroLeague history, leading the all-time standings with 10 titles.

Los Blancos Real were crowned European champion in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2015 and 2018 as they have their sights set on winning the 11th championship.

In addition, Real Madrid lead the all-time list with 19 championship game appearances.

Olympiacos have the chance to add a fourth continental trophy to their cabinet. They previously won the title in 1997, 2012, and 2013.

Two current stars in the Reds squad have won back-to-back titles together, as Kostas Sloukas and Kostas Papanikolaou clinched the title with the Greek club in 2012 and 2013.

Piraeus side, who eliminated Fenerbahce Beko in playoffs, hope to end their 10-year title drought in Kaunas.

Monaco reached the Final Four in just their second EuroLeague season.

ASVEL Villeurbanne also qualified for the 1997 Final Four.

Mike James is the only Monaco star to have Final Four experience. American guard James made an appearance in the Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz squad in the 2016 Final Four.

Real Madrid are the most crowned club in European basketball history, with a record 10 EuroLeague trophies, two more than their nearest pursuer, CSKA Moscow.

Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv have won six trophies, while Varese have five.

The current champions are Anadolu Efes, which beat Real Madrid last season, winning their second and back-to-back EuroLeague title.

- Final Four Schedule

Friday:

Olympiacos - Monaco: 1500 GMT

Barcelona - Real Madrid: 1800 GMT

Sunday:

Third-place game: 1400 GMT

Final: 1700 GMT