Bartzokas: “Armani showed what it’s capable of against Panathinaikos—Plota’s attitude was key”

Giorgos Bartzokas shared his thoughts on Olympiacos’s upcoming EuroLeague game.

“We’re talking about a team that has talent, experience, and good coaching. The fact that they held their own against Panathinaikos in an away game clearly demonstrates their team’s potential. It’s important for us to approach the game by putting aside what happened before and what will happen afterward,” noted the 61-year-old coach. “The attitude he showed in the game—especially his defensive approach—was very important. That’s why he played at crucial moments of the game and not just the easy ones,” he emphasized regarding Plota’s performance against Besiktas.

Here’s what he said
in detail On the victory over Besiktas: “Of course we’re happy. No EuroLeague game is easy, let alone when you’re playing on the road. And given the circumstances our team is facing, with several players out.

The fact that Besiktas also had players out may have made things easier for us as the game unfolded. I think overall we played well defensively; we were pretty focused. We need to focus on the fact that we showed a competitive spirit, that we played to win—which was extremely important. So, our victory is important, and we’ll put it behind us just as quickly as we would have even if we’d won.”

On Plota’s performance: “Every player who comes to wear the Olympiacos jersey must, by definition, be ready to contribute to victories and successes.

And, of course, to make mistakes, especially when a player lacks experience at this level. It goes without saying that we’re more forgiving of young players who don’t have that experience. But the attitude he showed in the game—especially his defensive approach—was very important. That’s why, after all, he played at critical moments of the game and not just in the easy ones.”

On the game against Armani Milan: “I think Milan didn’t have to travel. I mean, they were already in Athens and played a day earlier than us. So, perhaps energy levels will be a factor that plays a role.

We’ll obviously have to manage our rotation during the game to stay fresh. If we also take into account our absences, especially on the perimeter, that might be a factor in the game. But I think it’s important to always approach the game with the same level of seriousness.

We need to recognize that Milan, even though they haven’t racked up an impressive points total, is a team with talent, experience, and good coaching. The fact that they held their own against Panathinaikos in an away game clearly demonstrates their team’s potential. It’s important for us to approach the game by putting aside what happened before and what will happen afterward. We need to be determined to stick to our game plan.”

On the injured players: “We’ll have to see who’s available, because now that we’re heading back to Athens, we’ll need to see if there’s a player who can help us, while Milutinov or Fournier— at this point that seems likely, whether Konchar will be able to make the roster tomorrow. So what I’m saying is that there are two or three open questions for us right now. But in any case, we believe that whoever takes the court, we have to play like Olympiacos.”