Ettore Messina, head coach of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, was visibly frustrated following his team’s 83-84 loss to Olympiacos in the EuroLeague on Thursday night.
The game, which saw Olympiacos extend its winning streak to three games, was a tightly contested battle, but Messina’s anger wasn’t directed at his players or the competition—it was aimed squarely at the referees.
In a game where neither team could pull away with a lead larger than seven points, Olympiacos managed to hold off Milan’s late surge. Sasha Vezenkov led the Greek side with 21 points, while Nikola Mirotic paced Milan with 16 points. The game ended with a thrilling final sequence, where Olympiacos held on for the road win despite a valiant effort from Milan.
However, it was the officiating that seemed to dominate Messina’s postgame comments. Speaking to the media after the game, Messina did not mince words.
“This is my sixth year here, I never made a comment on referees,” the Milan coach stated, per Iacopo De Santis, referencing his typically reserved stance on officiating. “Nikola Mirotic was treated like the last rookie of the EuroLeague, until he lost his mind. All of us have been treated like we are the rookies.”
The tension between Milan and the officials boiled over during the game, with Messina clearly frustrated by what he felt was an unfair treatment of his star player. Mirotic, who has been one of the top performers for Milan this season, found himself repeatedly at odds with the referees throughout the contest.
Messina’s displeasure with the officiating was further highlighted when he made a pointed remark about EuroLeague fines for criticizing referees. “I don’t add more because I don’t feel like giving money to EuroLeague, which doesn’t deserve it,” Messina said, adding, “I prefer to give it to charity.”
The loss dropped Milan to 9-9 on the season, marking their third consecutive defeat. Despite the strong performance from Mirotic, Shavon Shields, and Leandro Bolmaro, Milan struggled to close out the game in the final minutes, allowing Olympiacos (12-6) to hold onto the narrow advantage.
Olympiacos’ victory was a team effort, with key contributions from Vezenkov, who reached the 2,500-point milestone, and Evan Fournier, who chipped in with 18 points.
Milan made a valiant effort to rally late, with a final-minute surge that saw Mirotic and Bolmaro score quick points to pull within one. However, the visitors held firm, sealing the win as both teams failed to score in the final moments.