AS Monaco defeated FC Barcelona in a thrilling Game 5 of the EuroLeague Playoff series, securing their spot in the Final Four, set for May 23-25 in Abu Dhabi. They will face Olympiakos in the semifinals.
The decisive match at Gaston Médecin Arena was a nail-biter: Barcelona mounted a comeback from a 0-2 deficit, but Vasilis Spanoulis’ squad held firm at home, clinching an 85-84 victory in a tense finish. Kevin Punter’s long-range attempt in the final seconds missed, sparking celebrations for the hosts.
The last quarter was electric: Barcelona took the lead, but the game turned into a seesaw battle. Giorgos Papagiannis appeared poised to be Monaco’s hero, but Punter, Willy Hernangomez, and Jabari Parker kept the visitors alive. Mike James hit clutch shots, including the game-winner for an 85-84 lead. Justin Anderson missed a three, and despite Papagiannis’ missed floater with four seconds left, Barcelona had no time for a proper response. Punter took the final shot—and missed.
Stats
Mike James led Monaco with 20 points, earning hero status with his decisive buckets. However, Spanoulis’ ace, Giorgos Papagiannis, was equally crucial: Playing his first EuroLeague game since Round 29 (and his playoff debut), the Greek international tallied 17 points and 5 rebounds, posting a team-high 21 efficiency rating. Alpha Diallo and Matthew Strazel each added 11 points, with Donta Hall and Jaron Blossomgame contributing 9.
For Barcelona, Kevin Punter bowed out of the EuroLeague season with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists (efficiency 23). The former Partizan star fought hard but couldn’t replicate the historic 0-2 comeback he achieved with Real against Partizan years ago. Justin Anderson and a resurgent Willy Hernangomez each scored 16 points, while Youssoupha Fall notched a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds). Notably, Barcelona had three juniors in the squad, but only Raul Villar saw minutes, while Matije Grujičić (of Serbian descent) and Sayon Keita stayed on the bench.
Interestingly, with Barcelona out, the Final Four will feature no Spanish teams for the first time since 2004—and neither Barça nor Real will compete for the title, a first since 2016.
