Aris will need a lot of changes ahead of next season, David Blatt said after the defeat to Olympiacos, which meant the end of the road for his team. “Congratulations to Olympiacos for the two victories. We made them try hard, I believe. We really wanted to win and not just make it difficult for them. We started really strong, but Olympiacos showed that they have depth and quality. I’ve loved every day here. I wish I could have helped the team more. If I’m to stay, there will have to be a lot of changes. It takes a different mentality, too. It takes consistency, calmness and a disciplines effort leading to a specific direction, in order to build a team not only for today but for the future as well. It would have been good for Aris if this team had a player with a personality as big as his talent, such as coach Yannakis used to be”, mr. Blatt said.

On behalf of Aris’s players, Nikos Barlos spoke at the Press Conference and couldn’t hide his emotional state: “We really wanted to win and the way we started the game shows just that. However, Olympiacos was stronger and beat us. We wanted to win for the club and for each one of us personally. At this moment, one could say a lot of things or just a small phrase... Life goes on, no matter what we say. The players who will stand the test, will be benefitted from this season’s experience. Aris has the unconditional support of the fans, who will never abandon this team”.