Olympiacos and Fenerbahce open the EuroLeague Final Four in Athens on Friday at 17:00 CET, with the de facto host looking to turn home support into a first step toward a title and the reigning champion trying to stop it. Olympiacos won its quarterfinal series against Monaco in three games, while Fenerbahce advanced past Zalgiris in four.
The setting makes this matchup feel loaded before the ball is even tipped. Panathinaikos is not in the final tournament even though its arena is hosting the event, and Olympiacos is expected to have the largest backing in the stands. Fenerbahce, though, will not be alone either, with several thousand fans traveling from Istanbul to Athens to follow the team.
This is Olympiacos' fifth consecutive Final Four, but the Greek club has reached only one Final in its previous four appearances and lost that game to Real Madrid. The memories around the club are hard to ignore: Sergio Llull hit a difficult game-winner in Kaunas, and Vasilije Micic knocked Olympiacos out at the buzzer in the semifinal in Belgrade in 2022. Fenerbahce, meanwhile, arrives as the titleholder after winning the championship in Abu Dhabi.
On the floor, the matchup brings a classic clash of strengths. Fenerbahce has one of the best defenses in Europe and plans to use Khem Birch and Nicolo Melli to switch everything and slow down opposing offenses. Olympiacos has been one of the best offensive teams in Europe this season, with by far the best two-point shooting percentages in the competition and the best assist rate per 40 minutes. The regular season suggested both sides know how to hurt the other, though: they met twice, and the home side won both games convincingly.
That balance gives Friday's first game its edge. Olympiacos has the crowd and the cleaner offensive profile. Fenerbahce has the defense, the championship pedigree and a fanbase that has already begun the trip to Athens. The winner moves within one game of the trophy, and both clubs know how little margin the Final Four leaves for mistakes.
