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Par Guillaume Kagni | Journaliste sportif
Too disappointed by Olympiakos’ elimination from the EuroLeague semi-finals, Evan Fournier didn’t really celebrate his team’s third-place finish. He did, however, take the time to talk about the Final Four format and the improvements it would make.
After more than a decade in the NBA, Evan Fournier almost made a wonderful return to Europe. It wasn’t all plain sailing for him, as he had to go through an acclimatization phase on his return, but after just a few weeks in the colors of Olympiakos, he proved that he was one of the best players on the continent.
He formed a top-quality duo with Sasha Vezenkov, and under their guidance, the club from Piraeus qualified for the EuroLeague Final Four. Unfortunately, over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, the French team’s full-back came to realize just how unforgiving this format can be. Unlike the first round, the semi-finals and final are played over a single match, and anything is possible.
Evan Fournier gives his opinion on the Final Four
Despite a fine regular season and a masterful playoff series against Real Madrid, Olympiakos was eliminated by AS Monaco in the semi-finals. The result might have been different in a best-of-5 duel, as the Frenchman explained after clinching third place in the EuroLeague. The BasketNews website reports his comments.
Despite third place, I feel like shit. The goal was to become champion. We didn’t play well and got what we deserved. The winning team is the best team on the weekend. The playoff format is better for several reasons. You play a whole season, you win games, your fans deserve to have the finals at home.
That means more matches played, more tickets sold for the clubs, and therefore more revenue. I think the EuroLeague would gain much more by organizing playoffs rather than a Final Four. But that’s just my opinion. If I’m honest, I don’t think there are too many games in Europe. I come from a league with 82 games spread over 5 months. You just have to prepare your body.
Anything can happen in sport, including huge surprises. That’s why Evan Fournier would like the EuroLeague to adopt the NBA format. A little slack would no longer be as serious as it is today, and above all, fans would be able to support their heroes right to the end of the season. Will he be able to change things?
