In 1997, Asvel made the dream of French basketball fans by reaching the semi-finals of the Euroleague. Since then, no tricolor formation has managed to qualify for the prestigious Final Four. Until this May 2023: Monaco has offered itself a place in the final four of the competition for the first time in its history, taking the best of Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the previous round. Brilliant both nationally and continentally, Team Roca now has a rendezvous on Friday 19 May with the Greeks from Olympiacos, who are presented as competition favourites. Prior to this historic game for the Monegasques and also for French basketball, David Cozette, who will be commenting this semi-final live with Julien Brun on Skweek, said: Television 7 Days. This is the meeting he has been waiting for 26 years.
What mood are you in before this prestigious European meeting?
My excitement is very high. For those of us who have followed basketball for several years, this Monaco semi-final is something quite unexpected and even a little unlikely. A few years ago, if someone had told us that a team from the French championship was going to make it to the Final Four, we would have thought it crazy. In the last two decades, French clubs have had great difficulties away, it was already the end of the world when they had four or five European victories in the season… This match against Olympiakos is truly a historic event for our basketball. Also this year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the victory of Limoges, who won the Euroleague in 1993 (the only French club to do so, editor’s note).
How to explain the sublime route Monaco has reached this year on the continental stage?
I must say in advance that what this Roca Team has achieved at Euroleague level this season is unheard of. The teams that qualify for the Final Four are always the same: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Olympiakos… These are just the recognized teams. Monaco is in the Euroleague for only the second time this year! They made it to the playoffs in their first season last year and it’s already been incredible. What made the difference with Monaco was one man’s passion: Aleksei Fedorychev (CEO of Fedcom). He was previously a key partner of AS Monaco football and fell in love with basketball. He took over the team, built it up slowly, and patiently formed the workforce. Thanks to him, Monaco is a UFO among the biggest Euroleague clubs.
How important is Monaco’s route to French basketball?
A final victory in the Euroleague becomes a kind of deification, creates an event, and everyone focuses on basketball from time to time, as in Limoges in 1993. But that’s not the point. The important thing is to have one or two French representatives who go too far in the Euroleague every season. Frankly, we see the difference from the viewpoint of the audience between the French championship matches and the European matches. For a sport that is not football or rugby, there must be a national team that needs to regularly win medals, but also a representative fighting against the best names from Barcelona or Madrid. Thus, you reach everyone, not just basketball fans.
Were you able to observe the increasing excitement around Monaco over the months?
Of course, and on two levels. I’m talking to you already (laughs)! This wouldn’t have happened if Roca Team hadn’t had a great season, there’s a lot of activity in the media. Then after the 5th game against Maccabi Tel-Aviv my phone vibrated. Relatives, people I haven’t seen for a long time, everyone was in front of the TV for this meeting. We feel it trembling more and more.
It is an ideal scenario to witness such an epic for Skweek, which started broadcasting a few months ago…
This is the best possible introduction. It is necessary to emphasize once again the consistency and intelligence of Aleksei Fedorychev. In addition to strengthening the Monaco team to become a true navy, he founded Skweek and one feeds the other. I’m happy to see it rewarded in this way because the editing and production means it puts it out for the audience, it’s never been done. Skweek’s approach to basketball corresponds to what Canal+ has done for football over the years. We’ve never highlighted French basketball better. And while there is an incredible sports scenario like in Monaco so far… The planets are aligned.
Olympiakos / Monaco, Euroleague semi-final, live on Skweek and net on La Chaîne L’Equipe on Friday 19 May from 17:00
Aurelien Gaucher
Source: Programme Television
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
