PAOK Leaves Metsovo, Sets Foot in Udine: The Preseason Symphony Begins with Silent Notes

Tonight, the pitch whispers — and I hear the breath of basketball. Not from the familiar Lach Tray, but from a distant place called Udine, where PAOK is taking its first steps on the journey of preparing for the promising EuroCup season. When the plane landed in Venice on Friday morning, September 4, I imagined Andrea Trinchieri stepping off, taking a deep breath of Italian air, and smiling. Ten days in Italy — long enough to experiment, short enough not to get bored. And in that time, PAOK will face Udine, possibly Reggio Emilia or Napoli, and end with a match against Armani Milan. A carefully calculated journey, but also full of the poetry of trips with unknown outcomes. The context of this tour is not simply a few friendly matches. PAOK is in a transitional phase, with the duo of Nick Calathes and Cedi Osman officially praised by the EuroCup: "We can't wait to see this duo play." The praise from the very competition they participate in is a strong signal, a recognition from the league level. But basketball is never just about stars. Bryn Tyree, the only absentee due to knee arthroscopy, leaves a gap that Trinchieri must quickly find a way to fill. It is in these gaps that young players have the opportunity to shine, and new tactics are tested. The tournament in Udine is organized in memory of Piera Paglieta — a name perhaps unfamiliar to many, but part of Italian basketball history. On Saturday, September 5 at 21:30, PAOK will face the host team Udine. This is not just a match; it is a test of adaptation to a new environment, of how the team handles pressure from the opposing stands, and how Trinchieri arranges the lineup without Tyree. On Sunday, September 6, depending on the results, they will face Reggio Emilia or Napoli in the small or big final. This format creates real competition, not just procedural matches. Every match has meaning, can bring valuable lessons. I remember the days of following European teams preparing for the season. There is a subtle difference between playing friendlies and playing a real tournament. When there is a trophy to compete for, even a small one, players automatically raise their fighting spirit. Trinchieri, an experienced Italian coach, understands this better than anyone. He knows these matches are not just for physical conditioning, but also for building team identity. And his presence in Italy for ten consecutive days shows the seriousness of the preparation. On Monday, September 7, PAOK will travel to Milan — the fashion capital and home to one of Italy's strongest teams. A full week of training in Milan before facing Armani Milan on September 12 at 19:00. This is the match I believe Trinchieri is particularly looking forward to. Armani Milan is not just a big team; they are a perfect measuring stick for PAOK's ambitions. If PAOK can compete evenly with them, that will be a positive signal for the upcoming EuroCup season. Russia taught me that despair is also a form of transcendence. But here, in the preseason context, I see a different kind of transcendence — the transcendence of preparation. No pressure to win, no fear of elimination, only the joy of playing and discovering new possibilities. Calathes, with his extensive EuroLeague experience, will lead the play. Osman, with his flexibility between forward and guard positions, will be the attacking spearhead. The combination of a seasoned guard and a young forward creates an interesting balance. However, there is a counter-intuitive perspective I want to delve into. The absence of Bryn Tyree, while a loss, could actually be a hidden opportunity. In basketball, injuries often force coaches to be more creative. They have to find different ways to use players, experiment with lineups never used before. And sometimes, these forced changes bring unexpected discoveries. A young player might seize the opportunity, a new tactic might be formed. Trinchieri, with his sophistication, will surely know how to turn this challenge into an advantage. Another notable point is Panathinaikos returning P. Giannakopoulos to PAOK. This is a personnel move that could affect squad depth. Giannakopoulos, a promising young player, will have the opportunity to prove himself during this tour. With Tyree absent, he might be given more playing time, and that is his chance to demonstrate his value. The ghostly applause of that summer still echoes in me, like an unfinished poem. In the summer of 2026, when stadiums were closed due to the pandemic, I learned to listen to sounds normally drowned out by crowd noise. The sound of the ball rolling on the wooden floor, the sound of shoes sliding on the court, the sound of players' heavy breathing. In this tour, I imagine similar sounds in Udine and Milan. Not too much media pressure, not too much expectation from fans. Just basketball in its purest form. Tactically, I am particularly interested in how Trinchieri will use Calathes and Osman together. Both are players with good ball-handling skills, but they have different styles. Calathes is a classic playmaking guard, with excellent passing ability and wide tactical vision. Osman leans toward direct attack, with the ability to drive and shoot from long range. Their combination could create a diverse offensive system, hard to predict. But there could also be conflicts over roles, as both want to handle the ball. Trinchieri will have to find the right balance. In the match against Udine, I predict PAOK will experiment with different lineups. We might see Calathes and Osman playing together from the start, or perhaps Trinchieri will use them alternately to conserve energy. What matters is how the team reacts when facing pressure from the opposing stands. Udine, though not a top Italian team, still has a significant home advantage. They will play with high spirits before their home crowd, and that is a good mental test for PAOK. Football is the most beautiful sadness I have ever known. And basketball, in its own way, has similar sadness. The sadness of an injured player having to sit out and watch teammates compete. The sadness of a coach having to make difficult decisions. But there is also the joy of discovery, of finding new things in seemingly familiar situations. This tour of PAOK is an opportunity to discover, for both the team and those who follow them. Every time Lach Tray calls, I realize I am getting older. But today, I do not hear the call of Lach Tray. I hear the call of Udine, of Milan, of Italian cities where basketball is passionately loved. And I realize that, no matter where in the world, the call of the ball is always the same. It calls us to new things, new challenges, new discoveries. The Lord of the Court has a voice — and it has never stopped singing. In Udine, in Milan, anywhere a basketball game is played, that voice still rings. It sings of preparation, of hope, of dreams not yet realized. PAOK is listening to that song, and they are preparing for great things to come. That night the court had no spectators, but I swear I heard them singing. In preseason friendly matches, the stands may not be as crowded as official matches. But I believe that, somewhere in those stands, there are still passionate fans singing. They sing for the future, for upcoming victories, for the magical moments that basketball can bring. In terms of data, I do not have specific statistics to analyze. This is the preseason period, and those numbers do not yet have real meaning. But I can look at other signals. Trinchieri's presence in Italy for ten days shows seriousness in preparation. The readiness of Calathes and Osman shows they are in good physical condition. And Tyree's absence, though unfortunate, creates an opportunity for experimentation. I want to emphasize that, in European basketball, the preseason period is often underestimated. Many people only care about official matches, titles, statistical numbers. But those who understand look at this period as an important time to build foundations. What is learned in these friendly matches will directly affect success in the official season. And PAOK, with this tour, is showing they understand that. Another notable point is the EuroCup's interest in the Calathes-Osman duo. When an official competition praises a duo of players, it means they are expected to produce impressive performances. This creates a certain pressure, but also a motivation to try harder. Calathes, with his top-level experience, will surely know how to handle this pressure. Osman, though younger, has also had valuable experiences playing in the NBA. I remember the days when I was young, when I first started following European basketball. I learned that successful teams not only have excellent stars, but also a cohesive collective, a smart coach, and a long-term plan. PAOK is building all of those. This tour is part of that plan, and I believe it will bring positive results. In the match against Armani Milan, I particularly look forward to Calathes' performance. He has played in Italy before, when he was with another team. He knows the difficulties of facing Italian teams, and he also knows how to overcome them. His presence will be key to PAOK's success in this match. As for Osman, I believe he will have an explosive season. He has had impressive performances in the NBA, and now, with a more important role at PAOK, he will have the opportunity to fully develop his potential. The combination of a seasoned guard like Calathes and a young forward like Osman creates a perfect balance between experience and youth. However, I also want to issue a warning. Basketball is a team sport, and no one can win alone. Calathes and Osman, no matter how excellent, still need support from other teammates. Players like Giannakopoulos, young players striving to prove themselves, will play an important role in creating collective strength. And Trinchieri, with his tactical talent, will know how to connect all these pieces together. PAOK's tour in Italy is not just a series of friendly matches. It is a statement of ambition, an affirmation that this team is aiming for great things. With careful preparation, quality players, and a talented coach, PAOK is laying the first bricks for a successful season. As I write these lines, I cannot help but feel a surge of excitement. Not because I am a PAOK fan, but because I am a basketball lover. And whenever a team prepares for a new season, I always feel excited. It is a time of hopes, dreams, infinite possibilities. And PAOK, with this tour, is bringing us those feelings. The Lord of the Court has a voice — and it has never stopped singing. In Udine, in Milan, anywhere a basketball game is played, that voice still rings. It sings of preparation, of hope, of dreams not yet realized. PAOK is listening to that song, and they are preparing for great things to come. And I, as a storyteller, will continue to follow their journey. I will listen to the stories from Udine, from Milan, from places where the ball rolls. And I will tell those stories, with all the poetry and sincerity I have. Because basketball, like football, is an unfinished poem — and each match is a new stanza being written. PAOK is writing the first stanzas of the new season in Italy. And I believe those stanzas will be beautiful, full of emotion, and worth listening to. Let us wait and see what wonders they will create on Italian soil.