At noon on Thursday (September 3) Olympiacos held its first full-squad training session for the new season, with the “Red-and-Whites” welcoming their international players back to training today.
Just a few hours before the team departs for Heraklion, Crete, to participate in the 6th international tournament, IBT Crete 2026, Giorgos Bartzokas spoke to the club’s camera about the Piraeus team’s roster, the limited preparation time, and the exhibition games in Crete.
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Here is what he said in detail:
“This is our first practice. Unfortunately, it’s quite late, but that’s the situation in European basketball. Today, as we’re traveling to Crete, the international players are joining us. I’m very happy with the roster we have. There have been some changes. Players have left, players have joined, but our team’s goal always remains the same: to be ready to compete at the highest level and to get better every day.”
On whether the fact that the first title of the season is up for grabs earlier than ever changes anything in our preparation: “We don’t have the luxury of being selective. We’re moving at a fast pace to show the new players aspects of our tactics. We hope most of them are in good shape. Those who’ve been here for ten days are in good shape, but it’s also a positive for us that the other international players aren’t injured. Many teams are dealing with this same issue—injuries sustained in international matches. Of course, there are differences; some players need a little more rest and recovery time during training sessions. There’s no time for days off, but we’ll handle it in collaboration with the team staff.”
When asked whether it’s paradoxical to have a shorter preparation period for a longer season, the coach said: “That’s how it is; that’s how basketball is evolving. Preparation time is getting shorter, but the demands are increasing. So, of the ‘tools’ coaches have to put together a strong team, we now have one less. The reduced time makes it harder to build team chemistry. Results that at the start of the season can influence a team’s overall standing, unfortunately, aren’t achieved under the best conditions, but that’s the situation, and we have to adapt.”
On the IBT Crete tournament: “I’m very happy. Crete is a very welcoming place for us. We’ve played there many, many times in recent years. We’ve won, we’ve lost titles, but we’ve also played in many friendly tournaments there. Overall, this tournament is very well-organized and of a very high standard. I think it’s one of the best tournaments in Europe right now, given that four EuroLeague teams are participating. You couldn’t ask for anything better.”
*photo source: Olympiacos B.C.
