Pistiolis: “Panathinaikos AKTOR is waiting for other players to perform – The question for Olympiacos is how long will he last”

THE Panathinaikos AKTOR and Olympic continue their quest for distinction in Euroleagueand Andreas Pistiolis was asked to comment on their progress so far.

The Greek former technician Galatasaraywho is looking for the next stage of his career, spoke to EOK Web Radio about the… opposite image of the two teams, emphasizing that the “green” are looking to find their identity and integrate all the new players into the whole, while the “red and white” rely on their chemistry.

In detail what he said:

For the Euroleague: “The EuroLeague in general has laid good foundations for years and is therefore a well-structured organization, so this also has an effect on the pitch. Every year it is a very strong and interesting league. It’s a championship that we don’t remember the likes of, nor do we have any example anywhere else. It is a unique event. In relation to the NBA, it may not have the talent of this, but it is very interesting, everyone plays with everyone, the facts can change within 2 games. It has a competitiveness and a … wild beauty that not many other leagues in the world have.”

For Panathinaikos: “Panathinaikos was the big question mark. Obviously, the “page” has changed and the level has changed. It is the first time in the post-Obradovic era that we can say that he really has high goals and it is justified by the roster he has built, by the fact that the stadium is now his own, by the fact that his president has shown that he is determined to build something big, with the names it has attracted and of course with the corresponding support of the world. Thus, the expectations and dreams of the world rose. Patience was required from the beginning and the fact that Panathinaikos created a new team without having a base to “build” on is always a risk. I think as time goes on we see that in the EuroLeague well structured teams are rewarded, not so much teams with good players. Panathinaikos, however, recently shows that it has started to find a rhythm. It is a big deal that the Greek players offer. Slukas was a known value, Mitoglou is very important for Panathinaikos, who showed the “thirst” to play basketball and the talent is still there. There are still many players that Panathinaikos is waiting for to perform. The question will always be the duration, but it shows that he is capable of delivering what he has “promised” in the summer”.

For Olympiakos: “Olympiacos is a team which what it tries to show is the opposite of Panathinaikos. He has invested more in the team and everything is done with a very specific logic, which so far has worked out. Injuries this year have been relentless. The issue was this and that the transfers and the planning that was done did not manage to get it on the field. In a season, as a rule, many absences can be catalytic. In relation to its problems, Olympiacos showed a good image, it survived in very difficult situations. These, unfortunately, however, often come out long-term. How long it will last is a question for Olympiakos. I believe that the transfers were necessary for Olympiakos after what he went through. This year, the biggest proof that Olympiacos is a system team is that Slukas-Vezenkov left and the players who were their replacements last year immediately stepped up. It remains to be seen how long Olympiacos will endure with all that it has suffered”.

For the course of the two “eternal players” in the Euroleague so far: “The good thing is that both teams, despite not being in the top four, show that they belong there. Greek basketball has long been seen as strong and dominant in the Euroleague. I think their position maybe does them a bit of injustice, they could have been higher. We see that both Monaco and Virtus, who are above them, are teams that once Olympiacos and Panathinaikos find their rhythm, they will overcome this difference. The only dominant teams so far are Real and Barcelona. Of all the others, the two “eternals” have nothing to fear or envy.”

Because he hasn’t found a team yet: “The truth is that it is something unprecedented. The last time I hadn’t worked for a long time was the six months I left Panathinaikos, before I went to Banvit. For the rest of my life I was forced to go on vacation. The plus is that I can take a step back and calm down, because 10 years abroad is a long time, I had… forgotten what Greece is like. Not that I’m complaining, I’m lucky to have lived what I’ve lived, but everything you do has a price. This has been a bit tiring, we are enjoying the good of sitting back and waiting to see what else comes up. Our life in this profession is in a suitcase.”