The last ticket to the EuroLeague Final Four will be decided at Roig Arena

Valencia Basket men's team will, for the first time in its history, have the chance to secure a spot in the EuroLeague Final Four with the support of its home crowd in the fifth game of its Playoff series against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (Wednesday 13th, 21:00, Roig Arena, #Vamos), in what has become the closest Playoff series in the history of Europe’s top competition.

Pedro Martínez’s men won both games in Greece to become only the second team in the history of the competition to come back from a 0-2 deficit and bring the series back to their home court. The fans have responded to the team’s effort by filling the new Arena, with tickets selling out in just a few hours and the Roig Arena auditorium also packed, meaning the team will be supported from every corner for the most exciting night in the short history of Valencia Basket’s new home.

It will not be an easy task against an opponent that managed to win Games 1 and 2 of the series in tightly contested finishes despite the incredible atmosphere in the stands. Moreover, with much of this same roster and the same coach, Panathinaikos has won two Game 5s over the past two seasons, although both were at home against Maccabi Tel Aviv and Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

For the orange side, only Darius Thompson knows what it is like to play in a EuroLeague Playoff Game 5, and he will try to get revenge for last season’s elimination at the hands of the Greens.

At the same time, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens will become both the team Valencia Basket has faced the most times in European competitions (19) and the team that has visited them the most in continental tournaments (10).

Valencia Basket will definitely be without Xabi López-Arostegui and Josep Puerto, while they will wait until the last moment to determine whether Braxton Key can play. Key suffered a nasal fracture in Sunday’s Liga Endesa game against Saski Baskonia and tested his condition in today’s practice while wearing a protective mask.

Rosters

REFEREES: Robert Lottermoser, Damir Javor, Milan Nedovic