After Split’s three-peat from 1988 to 1991, Panathinaikos’ Sarunas Jasikevicius is the only player to have won three consecutive Euroleague titles. He has done so with Barcelona in 2003 and Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005. Fellow Lithuanian star, and former Panathinaikos player, Ramunas Siskauskas has the chance to tie the record by winning the title with CSKA this season.
David Andersen of Barcelona is the only player who has reached a Final Four with four different teams. With Virtus Bologna in 2002, Montepaschi Siena in 2004 and CSKA Moscow in 2005, 2007 and 2008 (he was injured during the 2006 Final Four) and of course Barcelona in 2009.
Olympiacos has participated in four Final Fours overall and in all the semi finals they have faced a ‘Green’ team. Panathinaikos in 1994 and 1995. Olimpija Ljubljana in 1997 and Zalgiris Kaunas in 1999. And now their Greek ‘Green’ arch rivals are in their way to success once again. Did anyone say something about the ‘Green axis’ against the ‘Reds’? Though limited specimen Greek rivals tend to lose the final game, no matter the opponent – always a Spanish club -, when facing each other in the semi finals. Interestingly although Panathinaikos is dominating Olympiacos in domestic competition the Reds have the edge in Euroleague showdowns having beaten the Greens in five out of six games.
CSKA Moscow’s coach Ettore Messina has the chance to become the 2nd winningest Euroleague Final Four coach by winning his 5th title, just one behind Panathinaikos’ Zeljko Obradovic who leads the table wit six. If coach Ettore manages this he will overpass legendary coaches like Alexander Gomeslky, Pedro Ferrandiz and Bozidar Maljkovic who are currently tied with him at four titles. Messina seems to be trusting his own ‘prodigies’ Matjaz Smodis and David Andersen, having won the title with both of them with multiple teams, with Virtus Bologna in 2001 and CSKA Moscow in 2006 and 2008. But now Messina and Smodis will have to face long time locker room companion Andersen in the semi final clash. Smodis is the only player who has played in a Final Four title game with three different clubs, Virtus Bologna, Fortitudo Bologna and CSKA Moscow.
