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A look back: Valencia vs. Bayern

A look back: Valencia vs. Bayern

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Valencia Basket hosts FC Bayern Munich in Round 22 action on Tuesday at La Fonteta in a clash between two fast-rising clubs. Valencia is on a four-game winning streak and Bayern has won four of its last five Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games, which adds even more anticipation to this interesting showdown.

Both teams have made history in recent days. Valencia has won four consecutive EuroLeague games for just the second time in club history and for the first time since late 2003. Bayern forward Augustine Rubit was chosen as the EuroLeague MVP for January. Rubit became the first Bayern player to win an MVP of the Month honor in the club's eight EuroLeague seasons.

These teams will face each other for the eighth time. Valencia has a 5-2 record against Bayern since they crossed paths for the first time in 2015. But it was Bayern that prevailed in their first showdown this season, downing Valencia 97-92 in Round 14 behind 18 points from Corey Walden. Isaac Bonga added 14 and all 11 Bayern players who stepped on court scored at least 4 points. Bojan Dubljevic led Valencia with 28 points.

Both teams had serious injury problems at the time and different lineups will be used this time. Three Valencia players who were with the team in Round 12 – Dubljevic, Jasiel Rivero and Victor Claver – are unavailable for this game. Valencia has signed Shannon Evans and playmaker Chris Jones is back in action. Rubit missed these teams' previous matchup, too, Elias Harris and Andreas Obst are currently unbelievable, and Bayern has signed DJ Seeley to strengthen its backcourt.

Bayern's star forward Vladimir Lucic remains sidelined. Lucic is one of just three players who have worn both teams' jerseys in the EuroLeague. Lucic helped Valencia win the 7DAYS EuroCup in 2014 and played the 2014-15 EuroLeague campaign with that team. In his fifth season with Bayern, Lucic is a two-time All-EuroLeague selection. Dusko Savanovic and Derrick Williams have also played for both teams in the EuroLeague. Savanovic remains the only Valencia player to be an All-EuroLeague selection; he was named to the second team in the 2010-11 campaign.

Coach Svetislav Pesic also manned the sidelines for both teams in the EuroLeague; he led Valencia to the 2011 EuroLeague Playoffs and coached Bayern for four seasons. Pesic helped Bayern win the German League in 2014, the club's first since 1955.

Valencia knocked off Bayern in the 2015 EuroCup Eighthfinals in the first meetings ever between these teams. In the opener, Valencia rolled 80-58 at home and then cruised to a 60-94 victory in Munich for an aggregate score of 174-118. Valencia also beat Bayern twice in the 2019-20 EuroLeague Regular Season. Bayern's first win over Valencia came in the 2020-21 campaign, 90-76. Lucic led Bayern with 22 points and a career-high PIR of 35.

Fun fact: Bayern head coach Andrea Trinchieri is 2-0 against Alex Mumbru, who is now coaching Valencia, in his EuroLeague career. Mumbru played for Bilbao Basket in 2011-12 and faces Trinchieri's team, Cantu, in the regular season. Cantu prevailed twice: 78-69 at home and 64-67 on a crazy, nine-meter, game-winning shot by Gianluca Basile.

Bayern has never won at La Fonteta in three previous visits, losing by an average margin of 18.3 points. This could be a good chance for Bayern to bounce back from those losses, but what's guaranteed is a fantastic basketball atmosphere and a good game between two of the best teams in the EuroLeague in early 2023.