Name: Follow the Monaco-Barcelona Game 5 post-game press conference
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Follow the post-game press conference after Game 5 between AS Monaco Basket and FC Barcelona in the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs.

Follow the Monaco-Barcelona Game 5 post-game press conference

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-05-06T17:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco guard Mike James spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Barcelona in Game 5 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs to reach the Final Four.

Mike James: 'We like to make it tough'

AS Monaco sealed its place at the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four spot after defeating FC Barcelona 85-84 in a thrilling back-and-forth Game 5 on Tuesday evening at Salle Gaston Medecin. 

Monaco beats Barcelona, 85-84, to confirm Final Four return

AS Monaco sealed its place at the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four spot after defeating FC Barcelona 85-84 in a thrilling back-and-forth Game 5 on Tuesday evening at Salle Gaston Medecin. 

The visitors started strong and took a 15-19 cushion into the second quarter, but Monaco bounced back and secured a lead that they maintained until the end of the third (65-62). What followed was an exchange of blows in the closing quarter, with the hosts winning the series and booking their return to the Final Four after narrowly missing out last season.

Mike James led all scorers with 20 points and Georgios Papagiannis netted 17 – 10 of which were scored in the final quarter. Alpha Diallo and Matthew Strazel bagged 11 each. For Barcelona, Kevin Punter scored a team-high 19 points, with Justin Anderson and Willy Hernangomez recording 16 apiece. Youssoupha Fall registered a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Game Videos

Tomas Satoransky opened the scoring with a slam off the baseline before five straight points from Anderson gave Barcelona a 2-7 lead. Anderson and Punter nailed back-to-back triples, but Monaco responded with a 6-0 run inspired by Diallo, who tied it at 13-13. Daniel Theis got into foul trouble by committing 2 in the first 6 minutes and the guests made the most of his absence in the paint by getting three consecutive inside scores for a 15-19 lead after 10 minutes.

Elie Okobo completed a three-point play, but Dario Brizuela answered with a one-legged triple off the dribble before a Hernangomez bucket gave Barcelona an 18-24 advantage. Punter and Jaron Blossomgame took over with five points apiece before back-to-back baskets from Okobo put Monaco ahead 32-31. Anderson drained his third triple of the game, but the hosts went on an 8-0 run fueled by James, who made it 40-34 from the line. Then, Blossomgame scored inside and James drilled a pull-up three for a 45-39 cushion at halftime.

Game News

James and Theis started the third quarter with back-to-back buckets, but Anderson responded with a three-point play before two straight triples by Satoransky and 4 points from Hernangomez tied things up, 54-54. Yet, Strazel replied with five consecutive points, with Mam Jaiteh scoring inside to restore a 61-56 advantage. Jabari Parker netted his first points of the game and Fall added two to his tally, but Jordan Loyd made a couple of free throws for a 65-62 edge heading into the closing quarter.

A triple from Brizuela was followed by three consecutive buckets from Fall, who put Barcelona ahead 68-71. James took over with two baskets and an alley-oop dish for Georgios Papagiannis, who slammed it home for a 76-74 lead. Parker and Papagiannis exchanged threes before a basket from the latter allowed Monaco to maintain an 81-78 cushion heading into crunch time. Parker replied with a hard-fought layup and Punter buried a midrange jumper that put Barcelona back in front, 81-82. Then, Strazel and James scored inside, but Punter didn’t manage to drill a triple in the last possession, missing the opportunity to send his team to the Final Four.

Mike James and Georgios Papagiannis led the hosts to a hard-fought victory in a back-and-forth thriller

AS Monaco center Georgios Papagiannis spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Barcelona in Game 5 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs to reach the Final Four.

Georgios Papagiannis: 'I was staying ready'

AS Monaco-FC Barcelona | Playoffs Game 5 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Gabriel with a ferocious dunk! Motorola Magic Moment:

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-05-06T18:45:00.000Z)

Thompson with a steal and a dunk! Motorola Magic Moment

Two years after making its first EuroLeague Final Four appearance, AS Monaco Basket is returning to European basketball's showpiece event, this time in Abu Dhabi.

Monaco heads to its second-ever Final Four

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) has become the third team to secure its place at the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi, [joining Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-beko-heads-to-second-final-four-in-a-row/) and [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-bc-reaches-final-four-for-fourth-straight-year/).

Vassilis Spanoulis's side won its series 3-2 against FC Barcelona after winning Games 1, 2 and 5 at home, having lost Games 3 and 4 at Palau Blaugrana.

In the EuroLeague Semifinals, Monaco will take on Olympiacos in a repeat of their 2023 semifinal matchup.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✅ 𝟑-𝟐 Series is over! <br><br>The Final Four ticket is ours ! 😤🎫<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/0natVvsKBR">pic.twitter.com/0natVvsKBR</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1919829986711613523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Monaco’s Final Four history

This is just the second time that Monaco has reached the Final Four, having previously done so in 2023 when it was hosted in Kaunas, Lithuania. Despite leading 29-41 against Olympiacos in the semifinals, a 27-2 third quarter saw the momentum completely swing as [the Greek side went on to reach the championship game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2223-olympiacos-vs-monaco-semifinal-blog/). Monaco did respond, however, by [beating Barcelona in the third-place game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/third-place-game-blog-as-monaco-vs-fc-barcelona/).

Despite being in just its fourth EuroLeague season, Monaco has made the playoffs in each of the last four years.

### How many EuroLeague titles have Monaco won?

None so far, but [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) and co. will be looking to change that in Abu Dhabi.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✈️ Abu Dhabi, we&#39;re coming !! 🧭🇲🇨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/Sv2T3QUmXU">pic.twitter.com/Sv2T3QUmXU</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1919830825312370801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Which Monaco players have won the EuroLeague before?

[Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) is one of two Monaco players to have hoisted the EuroLeague trophy, doing so in 2011 with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. The other is [Petr Cornelie](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/petr-cornelie/004790/), who became a EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid in 2023. Coach Vassilis Spanoulis, of course, won three EuroLeague titles during his playing days.

### Who is heading to their first Final Four?

Seven Monaco players were on the roster that made it to the 2023 Final Four (James, [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/), [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/), [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/), [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/), [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/), [Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/)), while [Terry Tarpey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/terry-tarpey/012515/), [Juhann Begarin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juhann-begarin/008161/), [Vitto Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vitto-brown/013365/), [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) and [Mam Jaiteh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mam-jaiteh/002581/) will play at the Final Four for the first time. Coach Spanoulis, who went to five Final Fours as a player, is going to his first Final Four as a head coach.

In just its fourth season in the EuroLeague, the Monegasque side continues to impress

James & Papagannis connection! Motorola Magic Moment

Papagiannis dunks off a James dish! Motorola Magic Moment

Blossomgame flies for the put-back slam! Motorola Magic Moment

Diallo turns defense to offense! Motorola Magic Moment

The playoffs conclude on Tuesday, with four teams battling to join Olympiacos Piraeus and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul at the Final Four. Here’s what to expect from a thrilling pair of Game 5 showdowns.

Game Center: 2025 Playoffs Game 5

## Tuesday, May 6, 2025

### [AS Monaco 85-84 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fc-barcelona/E2024/325/)

Monaco sealed its place at the 2025 Final Four spot after defeating Barcelona 85-84 in a thrilling back-and-forth Game 5 on Tuesday evening at Salle Gaston Medecin. Mike James led all scorers with 20 points and Georgios Papagiannis netted 17 – 10 of which were scored in the final quarter. Alpha Diallo and Matthew Strazel bagged 11 each. For Barcelona, Kevin Punter scored a team-high 19 points, with Justin Anderson and Willy Hernangomez recording 16 apiece. Youssoupha Fall registered a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🇲🇨 𝙄𝙇𝙎 𝙇&#39;𝙊𝙉𝙏 𝙁𝘼𝙄𝙏 🥵🔥<br><br>❤️‍🔥 La <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> remporte ce game 5️⃣ bouillant face au Barça et se qualifie pour le Final Four ! 💥<br><br>‼️ DAGHEEEEEE 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/KBIG5TVg8q">pic.twitter.com/KBIG5TVg8q</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1919828526707999176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 75-67 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2024/326/)

Reigning champion Panathinaikos advanced to the 2025 Final Four in Abu Dhabi after defeating Efes 75-67 to win their absorbing playoff series 3-2 and earn a shot at winning back-to-back titles. An effervescent Cedi Osman paced Panathinaikos on 28 points and 8 boards, putting his boyhood club Efes to the sword after an epic clash. Jerian Grant racked up 11 points and 8 rebounds and the regular season’s MVP Kendrick Nunn added 12 points for the hosts despite another poor shooting night. At the other end, Elijah Bryant netted 16 points and Shane Larkin chipped in with 12 for Efes, but both visiting guards struggled as they combined for 8 of 26 from the floor, with Panathinaikos prevailing in the battle of the boards 50-35.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Greens are going to Abu Dhabi! <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F4GLORY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F4GLORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/ve5L0MkpuK">pic.twitter.com/ve5L0MkpuK</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1919859069206089761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Game Center, Game 5: Panathinaikos, Monaco reach the Final Four

The two best words in European basketball: Game 5. Will we see a new normal, with road teams triumphing again, or a return to old ways?

Game 5: A new normal or a return to old ways?

The two best words in European basketball: Game 5. This Tuesday night it’s win or go home time, with the final two spots at the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four set to be confirmed.

In the early tipoff (19:00 CEST), there’s [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) against [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/). Then at 20:45 CEST, [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) faces [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/). The winner of each Game 5 will join [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) and [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) in Abu Dhabi.

Since the 2008-09 season the EuroLeague has adopted a best-of-five series format, with tonight’s two games being the 22nd and 23rd time that it has gone to five games. It had been one-way traffic in these games for years, however, with the home team going 18-0 in series deciders going into the 2023-24 campaign.

It looked like the pattern was set to continue in the 2024 playoffs, as Panathinaikos defeated Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 81-72 in Game 5 on May 7 to guarantee its place at the Final Four. But one night later, on May 8, everything flipped upside down.

Panathinaikos returns to 2024 Final Four after 12 years away

In a game that went right down to the wire, Fenerbahce escaped from Monaco with a 79-80 victory and in doing so became the first-ever road team to win a Game 5.

Then, a couple of hours later, Olympiacos repeated that same feat by triumphing 59-63 at Barcelona. After 19 straight wins for the home team, two victories in a row for the road club.

Ahead of tonight’s games, Monaco will be eager to learn from last year’s heartbreak against a Barcelona side that has played more Game 5s than anyone else in EuroLeague history (seven). 

But this is a situation Mike James and co. have got used to, having reached Game 5 in all four of the club’s playoff series to date. Barcelona is 4-3 in these situations, while Monaco is 1-2.

At OAKA, Panathinaikos fans will remember the celebrations that followed its Game 5 win over Maccabi last year and have high hopes about doing the same once again. Curiously, the two previous times it hosted a Game 5 came against Maccabi (2012, 2024), and both times it advanced. 

For Efes, its last two Game 5s in Greece did not go to plan as it twice fell to Olympiacos (2013, 2017). That said, the Turkish side is 2-2 all-time in Game 5s and won at home in the two most recent Game 5s it played – against Barcelona in 2019 and Real Madrid in 2021.

Tonight’s two games are going to be packed with high-quality action, heaps of emotion, and tons of drama. Will we see a new normal, with road teams triumphing again, or a return to old ways? We'll find out in a few hours' time.

Two final teams will book their tickets to Abu Dhabi tonight

The gang is back together and co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs of EuroLeague.net and Sport 24's Vasiliki Karamouza debate – and disagree – on that topic and more! To Nunn or not to Nunn? That is one of the biggest questions to be answered in episode No. 29 of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast.

The Fantasy Challenge Podcast Dissects Game 5

To Nunn or not to Nunn? That is one of the biggest questions to be answered in episode No. 29 of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge podcast. The gang is back together and co-hosts [Javier Gancedo](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fganchetto&data=05%7C02%7Cigor.petrinovic%40euroleague.net%7Cd31497b64394488cb00c08dd8bb37e6b%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638820325223923622%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5tNH%2BQWNoYSgCFd0ChRRhky4K9vFi3ebTNQT8Dwp1zQ%3D&reserved=0) and [Frankie Sachs](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FMrEuroleague&data=05%7C02%7Cigor.petrinovic%40euroleague.net%7Cd31497b64394488cb00c08dd8bb37e6b%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638820325223944385%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=IGy%2BEGWZkAc794Ikvk2coJH9JO1ZniZQzAvgXeHl4GY%3D&reserved=0) of [EuroLeague.net](http://EuroLeague.net) and Sport 24's [Vasiliki Karamouza](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fkaramouza_vas&data=05%7C02%7Cigor.petrinovic%40euroleague.net%7Cd31497b64394488cb00c08dd8bb37e6b%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638820325223955177%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=iWMdkeGl8BL43%2FwZ10BoQVxeAiWr2tTRDPAml3GIwl8%3D&reserved=0) debate – and disagree – on that topic and more!

If not Nunn, who should your MVP be this week? Is there a center who stands out? How many FC Barcelona players are too many on a roster? What’s the better shorthand for Mike James: 5K or MJ55? Javi, Frankie and Vasiliki take a crack at all of these topics.

With only two Game 5s to be played – and both on Tuesday night, there is little room for error when making your teams. So be sure to listen to what the gang has to say this week. It just may be what puts you over the top. And as always, good luck to our fantasy friends!

The Fantasy Challenge Podcast dissects Game 5

The gang is back together for the last episode before the Final Four

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Game 5 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Playoffs pregame quotes: Game 5

## Tuesday, May 6

### AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona (19:00 CEST)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"You have to be ready to win, be good at execution and play your game. In a Game 5, you have to fight and keep the faith. Anything can happen in basketball. The fact that we're playing at home, in front of our fans, is an advantage. It's up to us to do a good job, because something great could be waiting for us at the end."

**Mike James, AS Monaco guard**

"It's good to play Game 5 at home, in front of our fans. Anything's possible. Being at home, we feel more confident, more liberated. We'll have to be intense, especially on defense and on rebounds. This is the fourth year we've played a Game 5 and the third time in a row at home. We've been there, we just need to stay focused. We'd have preferred to win in three or four games, but here we are. We're lucky enough to do this job and play a great game. In Game 3, I was effective on offense but not on defense. I'm hoping to put together a very good Game 5 to lead my team, and to concentrate on defense first."

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"We come into the game feeling good. We have the desire to play one of the games that we all wanted to play, a game that gives us the option of playing at the Final Four. We are convinced that the difficulty is very big but, at the same time, we also have all the options if we play the game that we have to play. Anything can happen but not playing on Sunday \[in the Spanish League\] has certainly gone well for us. We know that Monaco was better than us on their home court, took us out of our game and punished us a lot with their playing style, collapsing us, getting steals and even when they missed, rebounding well. These are situations in which I think we have improved a lot in Games 3 and 4, but we have to be prepared to take care of that because they are a team that when they play a lot, they put a lot of pressure on the ball have to be pressing the ball. Now, I want to have a good practice and play a good game. The team surely has had many moments in which it could have fell and has not done it. The team is eager to fight for everything, and is convinced that it can fight for everything and beat anybody if it does things well, and surely what I am most happy is this mentality that we have. We can be better or worse but the team knows that it can win beat anybody, and this is helping us to be more confident at this moment, before this game against Monaco."

**Willy Hernangomez, FC Barcelona center**

"I have never been to Abu Dhabi. It will be a good opportunity. I think we have to keep taking steps forward, as we have done during the series. I think we are waiting for a very tough game, a very physical game. If we do our job and play our game, we have many options. All that is left is one game and the team is very focused on doing things well. I think in the last two games, we are showing the level we can reach as a team. We still have steps to take, but I think we are very motivated and aware of the importance of tomorrow's game. Not only me, but the whole team knows the importance of tomorrow's game. For me, personally, it is a game that motivates me a lot. As I said in other interviews this week and last week, we have been working very hard all year for moments like this, important moments, in which the team needs the best version of each of us, and we need to do what is necessary to win on Tuesday."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:45 CEST)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos ATKOR Athens head coach**

"It will definitely be a difficult game because all the games in the series so far have been close. Anadolu Efes Istanbul has experienced players and is a fighter. We have to be calm, play aggressively on defense and play our game on offense, so that we can win. Nothing can cancel my memories and my respect for the Anadolu Efes Istanbul organization. I have friends who work there, family, the president. We’re always with the family. Sometimes fans do such things. But I think Panathinaikos fans know a lot more about basketball and respect people more. I hope that tomorrow our fans will support us, without offending anyone, because it has nothing to do with Anadolu Efes Istanbul as a team. I know that the Anadolu Efes Istanbul organization was very worried about what happened, but that’s life, these things happen sometimes. Now I’m not thinking about that, I’m thinking about Game 5, to play well and win."

**Wenyen Gabriel, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens center**

"We are expecting one of the biggest games of the season at OAKA tomorrow. It is, if I’m not mistaken, the seventh time we have played Anadolu Efes Istanbul \[this season\]. We know them and they know us. We have to enter the game aggressively from the beginning. We know that the crowd will be on our side tomorrow. They are a good team, we expected it. It is a dogfight, we expect that in the game tomorrow as well. It will be about who wants it the most and who is more aggressive. We have played many games on this court. We know how we have to be in terms of aggression and composure. In the end, the result will be visible."

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are at the last episode of an incredible series with the defending champion of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. Every game was so tight, so intense, so emotional and that’s why we have to prepare ourselves technically and mentally to produce the best performance possible. I really wish that everybody will be healthy. We are actually suffering some injuries connected with a level of high intensity of these series, but I’m pretty sure that everybody will be ready to give his contribution to achieve an amazing result for our team and our fans."

**PJ Dozier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"It will be a big fight."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Game 5 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs

Playoffs pregame quotes, Game 5: 'Anything can happen in basketball'

All the latest injury news surrounding all registered players ahead of Game 5 of the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs.

EuroLeague Playoffs injury report: Game 5

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

## Game 5: Tuesday, May 6

### AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona (19:00 CEST)

#### Monaco

- **Monaco has not yet sent an injury report for Game 5**.
- Nick Calathes missed the first four games of the series.
- Georgios Papagiannis and Juhann Begharin did not dress in the first four games of the series, but both played in a French League game last Sunday.

#### Barcelona

- **Jan Vesely is questionable** while Nico Laprovittola, Chimezie Metu, Juan Nunez and Dame Sarr remain unavailable for Game 5, the club has confirmed.
- Jan Vesely, who returned to action in Games 1 and 2, missed Games 3 and 4.
- Nico Laprovittola, Juan Nunez and Chimezie Metu are all out long-term.
- Dame Sarr will not be part of Barcelona's roster for the remainder of this season, [the club has announced](https://x.com/FCBbasket/status/1912872378666807417).

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:45 CEST)

#### Panathinaikos

- **Panathinaikos has not yet sent an injury report for Game 5**.
- Ioannis Papapetrou, who was sidelined with an injury in Games 1 and 2, travelled with the team to Istanbul but did not feature in Games 3 or 4.
- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and is still working his way back from injury.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

#### Efes

- **Rodrigue Beaubois is Efes's only absentee for Game 5**, the club has confirmed.
- Rodrigue Beaubois, who suffered an injury in Round 33, is [expected to be out for at least another two weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rodrigue-beaubois-out-for-at-least-six-weeks-with-calf-tear/).

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Playoffs injury report, Game 5: Vesely questionable, Beaubois out

Euroleague Basketball, in partnership with BKT, is proud to announce the launch of season 2 of “My City, My Court”, a project that brings basketball closer to communities while shining a light on the courts that connect us all.

Euroleague Basketball, BKT launch Season 2 of “My City, My Court”: A celebration of community, culture and basketball

Euroleague Basketball, in partnership with BKT, is proud to announce the launch of season 2 of “My City, My Court”, a project that brings basketball closer to communities while shining a light on the courts that connect us all.

Following a successful first season, “My City, My Court” returns by revisiting refurbished courts in Athens, Istanbul, and Berlin, in addition to exploring a potential new renovation site in Barcelona. The initiative, presented by BKT and supported by Euroleague Basketball’s social responsibility program, One Team, continues to celebrate basketball’s ability to transform urban spaces and build lasting community legacies.

The season kicks off with “Episode 1: Courts on the Road – Istanbul & Athens Legacy Tour”, which is out now. The episode sees basketball influencer, Jordi Galvez, travel across both cities to reconnect with refurbished courts and the people whose lives have been touched by them. Through street interviews, vibrant on-court moments, and personal stories from local players, coaches, and community leaders, the episode captures how these public spaces have become hubs of culture, inclusion, and inspiration.

Key appearances include EuroLeague legends Sinan Güler, Joe Arlauckas, and Michalis Kakiouzis, with journalist Vassiliki Karamouza providing local insight from Greece. Each voice adds a unique perspective on how these courts have brought these communities together.

As the journey unfolds across Europe, the project will continue to showcase the cultural heartbeat of each city, the passion of its people, and the power of basketball to unite.