Olympiacos owners hail 'most fateful year' after Basket League title seals domestic and European double
After defeating Panathinaikos 89-85 for the Greek Basket League crown, Georgios and Panagiotis Angelopoulos praised the team's 12-title, five-year run and lauded coach Georgios Bartzokas, while lashing out at the 'toxic' climate in Greek basketball.
Olympiacos Piraeus completed a historic Euroleague-Basket League double on Friday night, overcoming arch-rivals Panathinaikos 89-85 to claim their 16th Greek championship. The win, secured just weeks after the club lifted the Euroleague trophy, prompted an emotional press conference from the club's co-presidents, the Angelopoulos brothers, who described the season as the most symbolic in the club's long history.
A golden five-year stretch
Both Georgios and Panagiotis Angelopoulos repeatedly returned to the numbers that, in their view, underline Olympiacos' domestic and European dominance. They noted that the team has collected 12 titles in the five years since the "until the end" pledge, a tally they believe makes the Piraeus outfit the biggest club in Greece.
This five-year cycle after 'until the end' is telling: we captured 12 trophies, which shows we are the biggest team in Greece, and if you look at the last 15 years, maybe the best team in Europe.
Triumph without a new arena
The owners repeatedly highlighted that the double was achieved while the club still plays at the ageing Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF), with plans for a new arena yet to break ground.
The fact that we did this without a new stadium gives even greater dimension to our success. I don't know if there is another team that has done what we did without modern arenas.
They stressed that the current facility's limitations make the on-court results all the more remarkable and promised that the dream of a new SEF remains very much alive.
Praise for Bartzokas and his 'ball'
The brothers reserved special words for head coach Georgios Bartzokas, whose system one article said had Europe talking about "Bartzokas ball." They thanked the coach, his staff and the players for navigating a gruelling season that saw them fend off a Panathinaikos side boasting what one brother called the "biggest budget in their history."
Toxicity and legal battles off the floor
The celebratory tone was tempered by sharp criticism of the environment surrounding Greek basketball. The Angelopoulos brothers claimed incidents last season crossed legal and sporting boundaries, forcing them into daily crisis meetings of more than 16 hours over 12-13 days.
Last year the switch flipped for many things. Those were actions outside sport, outside the framework, outside the law. All legal proceedings have been set in motion.
They contrasted Olympiacos' disciplinary record with that of their rivals, arguing that while others have faced entry bans measured in months, their own club has received no suspensions. The owners called for clear limits and a different mentality in Greek sport, insisting they now deal with provocations through institutional and legal channels rather than reacting on the spot.
