Monaco receives Berlin while waiting for Real Madrid or Olympiakos in the quarter-finals
After weeks of uncertainty, suspense and headwinds, Monaco will experience a regularly relatively peaceful last day of the season. The Roca Team, qualified for the play-offs of the Euroleague since the defeat of Berlin on the side of Efes Istanbul, the day after its beefy victory in Milan (72-63), is still on its cloud. Its maintenance for the next edition of the premier competition is assured, the rest will only be bonus, and it has already had the opportunity to confirm the renewal for one year of its trainer Sasa Obradovic. The Serb whose team superstar Mike James, MVP of the Month for March (19.8 points, 5.4 assists the month lost), said he had “saved the Monegasque season”.
The Principality team, in full, welcomes this Friday evening (9 p.m.) Berlin, already eliminated, to conclude its regular season. A match with no other stake than to continue to mark its territory on the European scene, where in recent months, Monaco has impressed against the greats – Olympiakos defeated 92-72, the champion Efes Istanbul outclassed 102-80, Fenerbahçe dominated 92-78 – and put up remarkable resistance to the two Spanish favorites – defeat to Barcelona 83-88, and against Real at Gaston-Médecin after two extensions 84-90. To the point that not many people want to fall on the unpredictable squad of the Rock, which remains on twelve victories in its last fifteen games, best attack of the event (83.8 pts) while having become a great defensive power.
If Real Madrid win, they will face Monaco
So, which opponent in the top 8? This is now the question that occupies the minds in the Principality. It will be second in the standings, either Olympiakos (2nd, 19-9) or Real Madrid (3rd, 18-9). A poster for the quarter-finals (best of five sets) is already known: it will oppose leader Barcelona at Bayern Munich, eighth. The Germans are precisely this Friday evening visiting Madrid (8:45 p.m.).
For once, the equation is quite simple. If Pablo Laso’s Real, a formation where four Frenchies evolve – Fabien Causeur and the three Olympic silver medalists Thomas Heurtel, Guerschon Yabusele and Vincent Poirier – wins, it will be second. If he loses, Monaco will have to move to Piraeus for the first two games of his final phase.