Hezonja Snaps at Journalist Over Big-Game Criticism After EuroLeague Semifinal Win

Mario Hezonja, the Croatian basketball player for Real Madrid, expressed frustration after scoring 25 points in his team's EuroLeague semi-final win against Valencia. When questioned by a Spanish journalist about a supposed social media comment suggesting he "disappears" in crucial matches, Hezonja reacted defensively.

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Where did you see that? Who is saying that? Was it written on social media? I'd rather not see it.

"Where did you see that? Who is saying that? Was it written on social media? I'd rather not see it," Hezonja retorted, clearly annoyed by the provocation. He led Real Madrid to a 105-90 victory over Valencia, setting up a EuroLeague final clash against Olympiakos, who defeated Fenerbahce 79-61.

Hezonja acknowledged Olympiakos as a strong opponent with a good coach and a deep roster, noting their top regular-season finish. "Olympiakos is a very good team, with a truly good coach, and they have a 'long bench.' They finished first for a reason, and we must continue to believe in ourselves and do what we did today," he stated.

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Olympiakos is a very good team, with a truly good coach, and they have a 'long bench.' They finished first for a reason, and we must continue to believe in ourselves and do what we did today.

This will be Hezonja's third EuroLeague final since joining Real Madrid in 2022. He won the championship in 2023 against Olympiakos but lost the final the following year to Panathinaikos. He emphasized Real Madrid's resilience, particularly in overcoming the absences of key players like Walter Tavares and Alex Len, as well as a later injury to Usman Garuba. "We didn't have centers or many other things. We had many ups and downs during the league phase, but we have a big heart and we proudly wear this jersey. Therefore, we found a solution," he said.

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We didn't have centers or many other things. We had many ups and downs during the league phase, but we have a big heart and we proudly wear this jersey. Therefore, we found a solution.