Before the ASVEL – Monaco clash, Oleksiy Yefimov stirs the pot: « All ASVEL players want to wear the Monaco jersey »

Oleksiy Yefimov, AS Monaco Basketball’s general manager, isn’t one to make sensational statements. But ahead of a crucial EuroLeague match against ASVEL for the 34th and final round, the Ukrainian executive chose to express himself sharply in L’Équipe. A notable statement that could both galvanize the Roca Team and rekindle a rivalry temporarily overshadowed by the one between Monaco and Paris.

Yefimov takes a shot at ASVEL before the clash

The Roca Team has no room for error. To secure direct qualification for the EuroLeague playoffs and maintain a Top 4 position – which means home-court advantage in the quarter-finals – Monaco must win at the Astroballe tonight. A tense situation after a poor performance against Panathinaikos Athens (76-88), which may have motivated Oleksiy Yefimov to raise his voice. The executive directly targeted tonight’s opponent:

« All ASVEL players want to wear the Monaco jersey, » he stated in an interview with L’Équipe before the game. « And this is their last chance, on the European stage, to prove their worth against the team that is not only the Championship’s locomotive but also a Final Four contender. »

A veiled jab that could also echo off-court tensions. ASVEL recently served a formal notice to Skweek, the audiovisual platform that allegedly failed to honor its jersey sponsorship contract in full… And Skweek belongs to Alexey Fedorychev, who also owns AS Monaco Basketball.

« ASVEL has somewhat fallen into the shadows »

This duel between Lyon-Villeurbanne and Monaco has often marked recent seasons. The two clubs have faced each other five times in 2023-2024, with ASVEL winning twice (in the championship) and Monaco three times (in French Cup, Leaders Cup and EuroLeague).

But according to Yefimov, dynamics have changed: « Today, people tend to consider that the real Championship rivalry is rather Monaco-Paris, while ASVEL has somewhat fallen into the shadows. » A way to highlight ASM’s recent dominance, as back-to-back French champions, and to cast ASVEL in an outsider role… or even a forgotten challenger.

In response to this statement, Tony Parker, ASVEL’s president, preferred not to comment. But there’s no doubt his players will have gotten the message.