By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos and Barcelona have qualified in four of the last five Euroleague’s Final Fours since 2008-09. In these five seasons Panathinaikos took part also three times, Real Madrid twice (counting also London) and Partizan, Siena, Maccabi one.
So, the usual trio plus Real Madrid will fight again for the title which has been conquered in a Final Four during the modern Euroleague years (the first season, 2000-01 doesn’t count it because there were best-of-five series) only by five teams. Panathinaikos is the king with four trophies! CSKA, Barcelona and Maccabi have celebrated twice and Olympiacos did it against the odds last season.
CSKA has missed only twice the final four since 2002. Panathinaikos, Barcelona and Maccabi have qualified to the half of them and Olympiacos, Caja Laboral to one third of them. Below there is a table where you can see the thirteen teams that have taken part in a Final Four.
Since 1988 the teams that have qualified in a Final Four are 26 but only six of them have done it more than five times like all this season finalists.
Since Euroleague unification (2002)
Team |
Appearances |
Titles |
CSKA Moscow |
10 |
2 |
Panathinaikos |
6 |
4 |
Barcelona |
6 |
2 |
Maccabi Tel Aviv |
6 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
|
Caja Laboral |
4 |
0 |
Siena | 4 | 0 |
Real Madrid |
2 |
0 |
Benetton Treviso |
2 |
0 |
Virtus Bologna |
1 |
0 |
Skipper Bologna |
1 |
0 |
Partizan |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Since Final Four format institution (1988) *
Team |
Appearances |
Titles |
Barcelona |
13 |
2 |
Panathinaikos |
11 |
6 |
Maccabi Tel Aviv |
11 |
3 |
CSKA Moscow |
12 |
2 |
Olympiacos |
8 |
2 |
Real Madrid |
5 |
1 |
* minimum five appearances