Olympiacos coach Bartzokas previews EuroLeague playoffs against Monaco

Olympiacos Piraeus head coach Giorgos Bartzokas addressed the media ahead of the EuroLeague playoff series against AS Monaco. The first game is scheduled for April 28 at 21:00 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF), with Olympiacos holding home-court advantage as the top seed from the regular season. Bartzokas rejected the notion that Monaco is weakened despite the absence of players like Jordan Loyd and John Brown (referenced as Jekiri in the text). He emphasized that Monaco maintains a strong roster with high defensive intensity and personality, similar to their previous final-reaching squad. The coach warned against expectations of an easy series, noting that the matchups could extend to between three and five games. He expressed confidence in his own full-strength roster and underscored the need for intense physical effort to advance to the Final Four. Bartzokas also praised player Sasha Vezenkov for his MVP award achievement.