Olimpia Milano, fades even the'last European hope: Peppe Poeta doesn't hide

For the fourth consecutive season, Olimpia Milano’s Euroleague season will not go beyond the regular season: the Red Shoes were in fact defeated also in Valencia, thus taking the fourth knockout in the last five games that also arithmetically ousts them from the play-in, after the certification of the impossibility of reaching the top six. It was another bitter night for Peppe Poeta, who was forced to comment on a knockout that matured in a last quarter to forget, in which Valencia scored 24 points while conceding 13.

“We played a good game, but it’s not enough for Valencia – said the red and white coach after the 102-96 final -. You have to play a big game and we as we have done so many times this season lost an important lead because we completely lack the cynical part of the game. They never gave up, even down by 14, they played their game and showed why they are trying to finish in the top four.”

“I’m happy for Pedro Martinez: he was my coach in Manresa and he’s doing an important thing – Poeta then added -. They play like that, at a high pace, and to hold up you have to attack with balance. We did it for three quarters, as the 18 assists say, but then we were no longer able to do it and that explains the 24-13 in the last period. Our Euroleague season will end next week: we have paid too many times for our inability to finish games that we also play well.”

Olimpia Milano has two games left before ending the European season: Thursday, April 9 is the last home match of the continental tournament against Bayern Munich, while next Thursday it will be the Piraeus game against Olympiacos that will put the final word on a Euroleague year once again stingy with satisfaction.

Olimpia Milano’s last participation in the Euroleague playoffs dates back to the 2021-2022 season, when the team then coached by Ettore Messina came to a halt against Anadolu Efes (3-1 for the Turks in the best-of-five series), while one has to go back to 1998 for the last European laurel (the FIBA EuroCup) and 1988 for the last success in the top continental competition, the then Champions Cup.