Coach Mateo on back-to-back titles: 'We want to do it'

Real Madrid is seeking its record 12th EuroLeague crown when it meets Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in the 2024 championship game in Berlin. *Los Blancos* were the best team during the regular season, they swept their best-of-five playoff series and jumped out to a big early lead in the semifinals against Olympiacos. Yet, all that means very little on Sunday night.

"You don't have time to celebrate, you are good as your last game", Real forward Dzanan Musa says. "Whatever happened yesterday is in the past."

What will it take to lift the trophy after Sunday's championship game?

"Panathinaikos is a great team, too", says Real coach Chus Mateo. "We have to be ready for one of the best games in the history of the Final Four."

The win on Sunday would mean Real has won its first back-to-back title in the Final Four era and *Los Blancos* are shy about it.

"It is possible and we want to do it, this is the goal we want to achieve", Coach Mateo says.

Real Madrid v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-05-26T18:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens looks to end a lengthy championship drought when it faces Real Madrid in the EuroLeague Championship. After using a strong start and finish to dispose of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Friday’s semifinal, Coach Ergin Ataman states that “our goal is to win the finale… we are not scared of anything.”

Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos: ‘We have to leave our heart on the court’

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens looks to end a lengthy championship drought when it faces Real Madrid in the EuroLeague Championship. After using a strong start and finish to dispose of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Friday’s semifinal, Coach Ergin Ataman states that “our goal is to win the finale… we are not scared of anything.”

All-EuroLeague center Mathias Lessort is confident of the Greens’ chances: “Madrid is the favorite. They have been favorite all year. We saw this year that we can match them. Just have to make them uncomfortable.”

The stands at Uber Arena will be packed with Panathinaikos supporters and according to Lessort, that can be the Greens’ secret weapon.

“Having the fans behind you to push you helps you to make the extra effort on defense, to jump higher, to get extra rebounds. When you get tired, just hear them pushing you gives you that extra boost that you might need to win,” Lessort said. “It’s gonna 40 minutes of basketball. It’s not rocket science or anything… We have to leave our heart on the court”

With his big brother Giannis seated court-side, Kostas Antetokounmpo entered his first Final Four game ever on Friday and immediately registered a sky-walking block for a Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens team that was on its way to victory. "I didn't get to see my brothers action, because I was yelling at the crowd, but they told me it was pretty crazy," Kostas says. "There are a lot of nerves in the Final Four, but once the clock starts, everything goes away for me. Once I go on the court, I'm ready to give everything I've got."

 All angles of Kostas Antetokounmpo's walk-on block 

All angles of Chacho's magic assist to Musa

Hear Real Madrid forward Dzanan Musa narrate the magical semifinal play that saw his veteran teammate Sergio "Chacho" Rodriguez throw a behind the back pass at midcourt to free him for game-sealing dunk. "Chacho makes everything easy for us, but even I was surprised," Musa said. "That was the stamp on the game and I was very proud to be in that kind of moment."

Hear Real Madrid forward Dzanan Musa narrate the magical semifinal play that saw his veteran teammate Sergio "Chacho" Rodriguez throw a behind the back pass at mid-court to free him for game-sealing dunk. "Chacho makes everything easy for us, but even I was surprised," Musa said. "That was the stamp on the game and I was very proud to be in that kind of moment."

A day after helping Real Madrid reach the championship game, Fabien Causeur sat down with EuroLeague.net to reflect on the semifinal victory, and discuss the Sunday's biggest game of the season, a clash against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens for all the EuroLeague glory.

Fabien Causeur, Real: 'In these games, you go all in'

A day after helping Real Madrid reach the championship game, [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) sat down with [EuroLeague.net](http://EuroLeague.net) to reflect on the semifinal victory, and discuss the Sunday's biggest game of the season, a clash against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens for all the EuroLeague glory.

"Both teams deserve to be in the championship game, it's the first against the second team of the regular season", Causeur said. "Atmosphere will be crazy, just like last year or the year before. I think it is really exciting for a team to play against this crowd."

Playing in his sixth Final Four, more than any other Frenchmen, and aiming for his third EuroLeague title, Causeur has all the experience needed to know well what to expect in the championship game.

"We got to be ready for everything. In these kind of games you go all in and see what happens. It is one game, it can be cruel, like last year for Olympiacos when it led the whole game and we scored at the end. But that's what makes this event amazing."

REAL MADRID FINAL FOUR NEWS

Among the first-time Final Four players of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens who came away from Friday's semis with a good-as-gold victory as well as valuable experience, power forward Dinos Mitoglou was feeling fine the next morning in the headquarters hotel in Berlin as he discussed not only that success, but of course, what lies ahead on Sunday when the Greens confront defending champion Real Madrid with the title on the line.

Dinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos: 'Can't wait for tomorrow's game'

Among the first-time Final Four players of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens who came away from Friday's semis with a good-as-gold victory as well as valuable experience, power forward [Dinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) was feeling fine the next morning in the headquarters hotel in Berlin as he discussed not only that success, but of course, what lies ahead on Sunday when the Greens confront defending champion Real Madrid with the title on the line.

PANATHINAIKOS FINAL FOUR NEWS

Among the first-time Final Four players of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens who came away from Friday's semis with a good-as-gold victory as well as valuable experience, power forward Dinos Mitoglou was feeling fine the next morning in the headquarters hotel in Berlin as he discussed not only that success, but of course, what lies ahead on Sunday when the Greens confront defending champion Real Madrid with the title on the line.


Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four Championship Game Press Conference

Be sure to take a look at the best five plays of the 2023 24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Semifinals!

Top 5 Plays | Semifinals | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 

Favorite basketball spots: ALBA's Malte Delow

Berlin is quickly becoming a reference for both basketball and street art, and often both together, so [EuroLeague.net](http://EuroLeague.net)’s Javier Gancedo took the opportunity to meet ALBA Berlin shooting ace [Malte Delow](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/malte-delow/008211/), who showed us his favorite basketball courts in the city.

Born in Berlin, Delow joined ALBA at age 11 and is now in his fifth Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season with the club. Delow recently extended his contract until the end of the 2026-27 campaign, so there are few people better to show off the street courts of the German capital. Naturally, one of his favorite places is ALBA's practice facility right in the heart of Berlin, barely five minutes away from Checkpoint Charlie. Delow also took us to Mauerpark, close to his team's old arena, Max-Schmeling-Halle, as well as to a court near a mural called Elefant mit Weltballon, designed by local artist Jadore Tong, who was there to explain his creation, when Delow and Gancedo arrived to the street court!

Favorite Berlin basketball spots: ALBA's Malte Delow

Real Madrid-Olympiacos Piraeus | Semifinals Highights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

The protagonists in the first Euroleague Basketball game of the modern era, Real Madrid and Olympiacos have a rich history together. In addition to the 22/23 final, Real bested the Greeks in the 1995, while the Reds triumphed in the 2013 and two years later. What does this chapter have in store?

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-05-24T19:00:00.000Z)

Chus Mateo: 'This is an amazing moment for us'

Dzanan Musa: 'Defense brought us to the final'

 Motorola Magic Moment of the Night: Lessort rocks the rim!

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-05-24T16:00:00.000Z)

Vincent Poirier: 'The goal is to control the paint'

Chacho steals and sends a behind-the-back pass to Musa for an easy layup.

 Chacho goes behind his back to seal the deal! Motorola Magic Moment 

McKissic beats the halftime buzzer from downtown!

Shaq beats the halftime buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment

Real runs the court and Chacho feed again Poirier trailing for another ally-top slam!

Poirier hammers it home! Motorola Magic Moment

A Real classic, Chacho feeds Poirier for a big alley-oop slam!