Olympiacos prepare for Final Four in Abu Dhabi

On Friday night, the Reds beat Panathinaikos Athens 76-74 in Round 29, setting a 22-7 record and remaining atop the Euroleague standings. This allowed them to secure a playoff spot and claim the prestigious Final Four trophy, which will be played in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Olympiacos is making it to the current playoff format for the 16th time, which has been in place since the 2004/05 season.

The start of the season was difficult for the Piraeus team, they needed to rebuild in a new way, as the club tried to integrate Sasha Vyaznikov, who returned after a year of playing in the NBA, into the team and introduce newcomer Evan Fournier, who signed a contract as a power forward. Georgios Bartzokas's team led 2:3 after five games, but few doubted Olympiacos' victory, despite all the difficulties and the players' adjustment to the team. The Reds then went on to win six games, not without difficulty, to reach 8-3, a streak that began with notable wins over three strong teams - Real Madrid, Barcelona and another Greek club from Athens, Panathinaikos. Despite suffering a 3-1 defeat between Rounds 12 and 15, Bartzokas's side have gone on a seven-game winning streak to take first place with a 16-6 lead. 

Olympiacos are currently on another six-game winning streak, having responded to a surprise home loss to Fenerbahce Istanbul by beating Paris Basketball and Barcelona on the road, and then thrashing Partizan Mozart Bet Belgrade and even tough Panathinaikos at home. 

Since the 2004-05 season, Piraeus has lost 9-6 in fifteen playoff series played to date. In fact, last year Olympiacos made history by reaching the Final Four for the third year in a row, something they had never done before, so now Bartzokas' team is determined to continue their success this season.

Tickets for the Final Four are a great opportunity to see the strongest European basketball clubs play, as well as support your favorite team in tough matches.