By Niki Bakouli/ bakouli@eurohoops.net
The Italian final eight was played in Milan, but the host team, EA7 Armani Milano lost in the quarterfinals and the dream of winning the Italian cup ended without any glory. It’s the second goal the team missed this season, after failing to qualify in Euroleague’s Top16 and only the Italian Legabasket remains as a target, in which Milan at this point is just sixth in the standings with a 11-7 record.
Something has to change and Antonis Fotsis is ready to leave the team. Both the player and the club want to terminate their collaboration and their separation is just a matter of days, or even hours. Milan has paid Fotsis for his services until now and he is willing to forfeit the payment for the last four months of his 1,1 million euros annual contract in order to leave.
The only question at this point seems to be in which team he will continue his career. Fenerbahce/ Ulker was interested back in December, but the most probable scenario for him is a return to Panathinaikos. His old Greek team was also flirting with him, according to Eurohoops sources the two sides always stayed in contact having in mind the possibility of his return for next season, but they will not have to wait that long.
UPDATE: According to our sources in Italy EA7 Armani Milano denies that Fotsis will leave, however many reports in Greece insists that Panathinaikos has already offered him a contract until the summer of 2015.