Panathinaikos lost the fifth game in Valencia, and the Grand Final in their own arena stayed a dream once again. Owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos never stays quiet for long - this time he spoke through an Instagram story. And how - talking to his cat.

"Let me tell you something - bitterness washes away with bitterness. We have experienced many such bitter moments; we know how to come back," said Giannakopoulos. At first glance a small sentence, but for PAO it means a lot - the owner is not panicking, not firing the coach in the moment, no video accusations against referees.

The season has gone like this - Panathinaikos were Euroleague champions in 2024, last year they fell in the semifinals to Fenerbahce, this year they will miss the Final Four in their own arena. That is the bitterness Giannakopoulos talks about - and which he knows will pass.

After the incidents in the second game of the series, the owner was given a three-year suspension and a fine of 10,000 euros, so he could not watch the fifth game in the arena. Even so, he travelled to Valencia and supported the players at the hotel - a detail that shows this is not an owner who lets others carry the load alone.

For Balkan basketball fans who follow the Greek derbies, this elimination means the Final Four this season will be without Panathinaikos - and the home arena will host it for others. For PAO, what remains is a summer of accounts and perhaps a new formula for the team. Giannakopoulos does not look like a man who will give up. The proof - even when he has a suspension, he finds a way to be in the game.