Poet falls from the Milan bench after the defeat against Valencia

The defeat against Valencia Basket at home has marked the end of the era of Giuseppe Peppe Poeta on the bench of Armani Olimpia Milano. The Italian club announced this Friday, November 6, the dismissal of the coach, just 24 hours after suffering a 73-84 loss in the 10th round of the Euroleague. With this decision, Poeta becomes the first coach to lose his job in the current edition of the European competition.

The record of the Milanese team in the top continental competition is bleak: just one victory in nine matches played. Olimpia shares the bottom position of the table with Kosner Baskonia, both with a record of 1-9, while it suffers through eight consecutive defeats that have eroded confidence in the project. This negative streak has accelerated decision-making times in the Italian sports management.

The official statement and institutional thanks

Olimpia Milano issued an official statement expressing its gratitude to Poeta for his work. The text highlighted "the commitment, dedication, and enthusiasm" with which the coach had carried out his duties, both during his time as an assistant and later as head coach. During his time in charge of the team, Poeta achieved significant domestic successes: one Scudetto, one Coppa Italia, and one Italian Supercup in this season and the previous one.

However, the performance in Europe has been radically different. The only victory in the Euroleague came in the second round, with a win of 87-85 against Virtus Bologna. This contrast between success in domestic competitions and continental failure has been decisive in the resolution of the Milanese board.

Marco Ramondino, a temporary solution

The club's statement specified that the team would be under the "ad interim" direction of Marco Ramondino, who will take charge temporarily until a permanent replacement is appointed. Ramondino will lead Olimpia on Sunday in the Italian league against Trento, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. This measure allows the club to maintain operational continuity while the details of the technical succession are resolved.

Luca Banchi, the chosen one to replace Poeta

Although Olimpia Milano has not officially announced a permanent replacement, Eurohoops points to Luca Banchi as the chosen candidate. The coach of Italy has been without a team since leaving Anadolu Efes and already has experience on the Milanese bench, where he coached Olimpia between 2013 and 2015. Mundo Deportivo places him as the main favorite to take the position permanently.

Banchi knows the Milanese project and the Italian context well, which could facilitate a quicker transition than that of a coach coming from other markets. His experience in European competitions and his previous track record with the club make him a high-profile candidate to try to reverse the current situation.

Poeta's tenure at Olimpia

Giuseppe Poeta, 41, had taken over from Ettore Messina in November 2025, where he was an assistant. During his time in charge, the coach won significant national titles: the league and the Coppa Italia in the last season, along with the Italian Supercup this year. However, these domestic victories have not been enough to compensate for the European disaster.

Poeta is not a stranger to Spanish basketball. As a guard, he played 16 games with Laboral Kutxa Baskonia in the 2013-14 season and six games with La Bruixa d'Or Manresa in the 2014-15 season, according to ACB data. This experience in Liga Endesa allows him to understand the competitive level of Spanish basketball.

The match that sealed Poeta's fate

The clash on Thursday between Olimpia Milano and Valencia Basket in the 10th round of the Euroleague perfectly summarizes the Milanese team's poor streak. Poeta's team dominated the match for three quarters, reaching a lead of 59-51 at the end of the third period. However, a disastrous final quarter of 14-33 against completely changed the result in front of 6,317 spectators at the Pabellón Olímpico in Milan.

Valencia Basket, under the direction of Xavi Albert, executed high-quality offensive basketball in the last ten minutes. Kameron Taylor led the orange attack with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and a valuation of 24. Armoni Brooks contributed 16 points, with an outstanding 4 of 9 from three-point range, while TJ Shorts added 15 points and 5 assists. The visiting team also dominated the rebounding with 43-30, a significant difference that tipped the balance definitively.

On the Milan side, Leandro Bolmaro was the top scorer with 16 points, insufficient to contain the Valencia offensive onslaught. With this victory, Valencia Basket adds seven wins and three losses in the Euroleague, establishing itself as one of the most competitive teams in the competition.

Upcoming commitments in the competition

Olimpia Milano will return to action in the Euroleague on Thursday, November 12, at 8:30 p.m., when they host Zalgiris Kaunas at the Pabellón Olímpico in Milan, in the 11th round of the competition. It will be the first test under the direction of Marco Ramondino, or possibly already under the orders of Luca Banchi if the transition occurs swiftly.

At the same time, Valencia Basket will host Bayern Munich, continuing their good momentum in the top continental competition. The orange team will seek to maintain its positive trajectory against a German rival also looking to establish itself in the upper part of the standings.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Poeta cae del banquillo milanés tras la derrota ante el Valencia