Now that the schedule for the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season has been unveiled, EuroLeague.net's staff is eyeing all the mouth-watering action.
Games I am looking forward to in November
Article
5 Mins read
Here are the games staff members are most excited about in November. They already selected their must-see games for Round 1 and October.
Round 8: A Greek derby for the ages
Geoff Gillingham
It’s always a ferocious atmosphere whenever Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus lock horns. In Round 8, the Greens’ fans inside OAKA will be keen to remind the Reds’ supporters about what happened at the end of last season, when Panathinaikos won its seventh EuroLeague championship and then came from 2-0 down to beat Olympiacos 3-2 in the Greek League Finals. However, the 2023-24 EuroLeague campaign did see Olympiacos win both of its games against its archrival.
By the time this game comes around on November 8, Panathinaikos will have gone three years, nine months and seven days without having beaten Olympiacos in the EuroLeague. Ergin Ataman’s stacked roster is looking to win back-to-back titles this year and ending its ‘curse’ against Olympiacos would be the icing on the cake. That said, Georgios Bartzokas is 9-2 in the EuroLeague when facing Panathinaikos as Olympiacos head coach, so he certainly knows what it takes to defeat the Reds’ oldest foe.
Round 8: Coach Trinchieri leads Zalgiris into Munich
Frankie Sachs
The trip to Munich for Zalgiris Kaunas’s November 7 game against host FC Bayern will be a familiar trip for some as head coach Andrea Trinchieri leads the Lithuanian powerhouse against his former team. One of the team’s exciting summer signings was guard Sylvain Francisco, who made his EuroLeague debut with Bayern last summer.
Games between these teams have historically been close. Bayern leads their head-to-head matchups 7-6, though only two of them have been decided by double figures and five of them by a single basket! What’s more, the timing is interesting for both teams… Zalgiris will be well-rested after playing three straight games on the road, during which it could build some momentum. Meanwhile, Bayern will be excited to get back home after road games in Italy and France. In the #EveryGameMatters EuroLeague, this is a game that could end up playing a role in the playoff push and one I look forward to seeing in early November.
Round 11: Get ready for another Belgrade derby
Igor Petrinovic
The very first Belgrade derby of the 2024-25 season is the highlight on the November schedule for me. Battles between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan have proven to be instant classics, with out-of-the world atmospheres, and decibel levels that shake the foundations of Belgrade Arena. In this Round 11 encounter, it will be Zvezda having the home court advantage and its fans trying to carry the team to the win that is valued more than any other.
When it comes to basketball alone, the two clubs split road wins in their EuroLeague clashes two years ago, then split home wins last season. However, Crvena Zvezda has won the last eight games over Partizan in all competitions, and will certainly want to continue the streak against the archrival guided by the winningest head coach in EuroLeague history, Zeljko Obradovic, who is set to have a brand new roster at hand in the coming season. Zvezda, on the other hand, underwent mild changes, but the biggest one is last year's EuroLeague assist leader – and a former Partizan player – Codi Miller-McIntyre joining Zvezda's playmaking duo of Milos Teodosic and Yago Dos Santos. A must-watch Thursday night collision.
Round 12: ‘El Clásico’ is here again!
Javier Ganceco
Even though these teams face each other several times during the season (by the way, the maximum number would be 15 times), it is always special when FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague for the first time every season: this time it is Round 12 on November 29. Basketball-wise, it is always a tricky game. You want to win, but it is a good opportunity to test things that you can use later on the season, when these teams challenge for titles.
Real is back with a strong core of players meant to play together for many years, led by Facu Campazzo, Gabriel Deck, Mario Hezonja and Walter Tavares. The All-EuroLeague center will anchor the defense, which will be required against Jan Vesely and former Real center Willy Hernangomez. Barca star guard Kevin Punter has played some of the best games of his EuroLeague career against Real: remember that game-winning shot with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade at WiZink Center in Game 1 of the 2023 playoffs? As always, Barca fans will bring the noise at Palau Blaugrana: it is also a special game in the stands, more colorful and with a more electric atmosphere. Unless you support one of the teams, prepare the popcorn, sit back and enjoy one of those games that only the EuroLeague can offer as early as November!