Olimpia Milano, Ettore Messina is already in Euroleague climate

Olimpia prepares for Giannakopoulos Trophy

With the Eurobasket chapter closed, the attention of fans and basketball insiders inevitably returns to the clubs and, although the start of the most important tournaments is still quite distant, fans will be able to experience a tasty appetizer of the Euroleague on September 23 and 24, when Olimpia Milano, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Anadolu Efes and Panathinaikos will give life, at the home of the Athens greens, to the Giannakopoulos Trophy.

In an interview with Pao channels, Olimpia coach Ettore Messina confirmed that he cares no small amount about the mini-tournament: “It’s a very important appointment,” he said. “Four Euroleague clubs are at stake, indeed four realities fighting for the playoffs. It will be an extraordinary event, in a city that lives basketball intensely. We are happy to participate in the Giannakopoulos Tournament.”

He did not miss a thought turned to what for Messina is a real black beast like Panathinaikos: “I was lucky enough to play against them for the European title, but I lost the Euroleague final once coaching Virtus, twice on the bench of CSKA. A legendary team, led at the time by the very president Pavlos Giannakopoulos and a coach like Obradovic.”