Olympiacos will face Barcelona in the EuroLeague playoffs, with Giorgos Bartzokas looking for his first Final Four qualification, starting with home advantage.

THAT Olympic he now knows his way. Against her Barcelona and a home disadvantage, the “red and whites” will be looking for qualification for the third time in a row Final Four. And with them, George Bartzokas to achieve something he had not done with his teams before. In other words, reaching the last four, with a home disadvantage.

Bartzokas has led him Olympic and Kuban locomotive in the Final Four, counting a total of four appearances at the best European event, of course with the crown on the trophy in London in the 2012-13 season.

Both at Piraeus and the Russians, however, he took advantage of the home field advantage to get the qualification. Not only that, but every series eventually had to go to the limit, with Game 5 all four times.

Barzokas’ four leads in Game 5

The beginning was with Olympiakos against Effects, in the year in which the “red and whites” reached the final. Efes battled it out and came back from 2-0 down, but in SEF the celebrations had a “red and white” backdrop. That was the beginning of an informal… bond between Barzokas and Game 5.

Olympiacos was the one who celebrated in SEF and in the series with Monaco, Fenerbahce. Both with home advantage, both with a break in the 2nd and 3rd games of the series. With Olympiakos finally advanced by taking advantage of the home ground in the 5th game.

🔴⚪ Olympiacos played not only to face Barcelona, ​​which both teams clearly preferred, but also for its history.@Melayess https://t.co/2SIl0S015K

— gazzetta.gr (@gazzetta_gr) 13 April 2024

In between, Bartzokas also led Lokomotiv Kuban to the Final Four, again through the process in Game 5, vs Barcelona of Xavi Pascual.

Real and his CSKA…blocked the way

But Bartzokas has never seen his team qualify with a home handicap. Once with Olympiakos and once with Khimkistopped his attempts at superiors when it turned out rivals.

In a total of six series, Bartzokas and his team went 4/4 with an advantage, but 0/2 with a home deficit. A feat the 58-year-old coach wants to unlock this year and travel with Olympiacos to Berlin to claim the EuroLeague trophy once again.

Bartzoka’s playoff series

• 2012-13: Olympic – Effects 3-2
• 2013-14: Real Madrid – Olympiacos 3-2
• 2015-16: Kuban locomotive – Barcelona 3-2
• 2017-18: CSKA Moscow – Khimki 3-1
• 2021-22: Olympic – Monaco 3-2
• 2022-23: Olympic – Fenerbahçe 3-2