Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday, with Los Blancos' 19-point win seeing them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15. 

Real Madrid's defense pounds Zalgiris into submission, 64-83

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday. Real improved to 11-9 in the standings while Zalgiris dropped to 10-10 and is on a four-game losing streak. *Los Blancos*' 19-point win saw them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15. 

Dzanan Musa led the winners with 17 points. Facu Campazzo and Serge Ibaka each added 13 while Mario Hezonja had 10 for Real. Lonnie Walker led Zalgiris with 17 points.

Game Videos

Campazzo got Real going with a jump hook which Walter Tavares followed with a layup for a 0-4 lead. Dovydas Giedraitis struck from downtown, then Musa and Xavier Rathan-Mayes restored a 3-7 Real edge. Walker stepped up for Zalgiris with 5 straight points before Sylvain Francisco scored a fast-break layup to cap a 7-0 run. Brady Manek improved Musa's floater with a bomb from downtown before Francisco and Arnas Butkevicius each joined the three-point shootout for a 19-11 Zalgiris advantage. Campazzo stepped up with a floater and Serge Ibaka added a jump hook to keep Real within 21-15. Lukas Lekavicius followed a floater with a three-pointer to make it a double-digit game, 26-15, after 10 minutes.

Ibaka buried consecutive jump hooks early in the second quarter. Hezonja soon added a three-point play that gave Los Blancos hope at 26-22. Giedraitis banked in an off-balanced shot off a Zalgiris timeout, Ibaka answered from beyond the arc and Andres Feliz's three-pointer tied it at 28-28. Hezonja capped a 2-15 run from the foul line to give Real a 28-30 edge. Giedraitis rescued the hosts with a driving layup and Deividas Sirvydis scored the rest of the points in a 6-0 run that restored a 34-30 Zalgiris lead. Musa took over with an off-balanced three-point play before Campazzo put Real in charge, 34-35, at halftime.

 

Game News

Walker hit free throws and nailed a catch-and-shoot triple to put Zalgiris in charge, 39-35, after the break. Hezonja rescued Real with a bomb from beyond the arc which Campazzo followed with a acrobatic layup for a 39-40 lead. Laurynas Birutis scored down low before Musa buried back-to-back three-pointers to make the hosts stop the game at 41-47. Bryant Dunston stepped up with a power layup, Musa silenced the crowd with a coast-to-coast basket and Alberto Abalde's turnaround jumper made it an eight-point game, 44-52. Abalde scored again to giva Real its first double-digit lead, 44-55, which Alen Smailagic cut to 46-55 after 30 minutes. 

Ibaka and Feliz each struck from beyond the arc to break the game open, 46-61, early in the fourth quarter. Zalgiris kept struggling to score whle Eli Ndiaye followed a put-back basket with a fastbreak slam that made the hosts call timeout, 46-65, with over 7 minutes left. Sergio Llull capped a 0-13 run with a three-point play. Smailagic tried to change things with a put-back slam and a three-point play, getting Zalgiris within 51-70. Walter struck from downtown but it was already too little, too late for Zalgiris. Campazzo and Ndiaye made sure that the hosts were not even close to steal the tie-break advantage. 

Dzanan Musa led Los Blancos to their 11th victory


Zalgiris Kaunas v Real Madrid (2025-01-10T18:00:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Anadolu Efes 76-82 on Friday night. 

Defensive-minded ASVEL rallies to stun Efes, 76-82

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul 76-82 on Friday night. The win improved ASVEL to a 9-11 record and saw Pierric Poupet's men sweep the season series against Efes, which dropped to 10-10 and 0-1 under new head coach Luca Banchi.

Efes led 57-46 and held multiple 10-point leads in the third quarter, but ASVEL went on a 2-16 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to take a 68-73 lead, which the visitors never relinquished. Nando De Colo scored 16 points, making all 5 of his field goals including 4 three-pointers, while Black had 15 points and 7 assists. Theo Maledon also scored 15, and Shaquille Harrison had 11 points in a winning effort. Shane Larkin and Vincent Poirier scored 14 apiece for the hosts, Ercan Osmani scored 13, and Elijah Bryant 12 points in a loss.

Andre Roberson’s second-chance triple opened the scoring, giving ASVEL an early boost and a 1-7 lead. Back-to-back triples from Larkin and Darius Thompson tied things at 9-9, but Melvin Ajinca hit a pair of triples to give ASVEL an 11-17 edge. Bryant and Harrison traded three-pointers before Dan Oturu scored twice inside, but thanks to Harrison and Maledon, the visitors held a 20-24 advantage after 10 minutes.

Harrison hit a triple to open the second quarter to help extend the lead to eight points. Rolands Smits and Bryant got Efes going again, but David Lighty had a jumper and Maledon took it to the rim to make it 24-33. But Efes stepped up defensively, playing better defense on Maledon, while Smits and Poirier started dominating under ASVEL’s basket. The duo combined to score 7 points, before Osmani capped a 9-0 run to tie the game. Paris Lee netted a triple, but Osmani battled his way for 6 more points to give Efes a 41-38 halftime lead.

Back-to-back triples from Larkin and Osmani opened a 47-38 margin. Maledon hit a triple and Lee added another one of his own to cut it to 51-46. But Poirier scored inside, then Larkin fed Jordan Nwora then raced for a fast-break layup to give the hosts a 57-46 advantage, the first double-digit lead of the game. De Colo hit back-to-back triples before Thompson and Roberson traded close-range baskets. Oturu helped the hosts restore a double-digit margin, 64-54, but De Colo hit another one from long range and Tarik Black scored twice from close range, including a dunk that made it 66-61 after 30 minutes.

De Colo opened the fourth with a three-pointer that made it a two-point game, forcing an Efes timeout after only 61 seconds. Efes was without a single point for exactly 5 minutes, as Maledon and Harrison found their way to the free-throw line, and Black scored twice inside for ASVEL to restore its lead, 68-73. Bryant and Poirier made free throws to end Efes’s scoring drought, but Black scored twice more inside to keep the visitors ahead, 74-77, with 2 minutes to go. ASVEL kept it up defensively, not allowing a field goal the rest of the way, as De Colo and Black sealed the deal.

The French side ruined coach Luca Banchi’s debut on Efes bench

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-01-10T17:30:00.000Z)

Arvydas Sabonis, a legendary figure at Zalgiris Kaunas, was honored ahead of the team's game against Real Madrid, another his former teams, on Friday night.

Zalgiris honors club legend Arvydas Sabonis

[Arvydas Sabonis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/arvydas-sabonis/ayo/) received a standing ovation before the game between [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) and [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/).

The fact that he is not a fan of public appearances made the evening even more significant. This night was chosen for the ceremony because Zalgiris played against Real, one of Sabonis's former teams, and the iconic center turned 60 years old recently, on December 19. Honoring Sabonis was the latest special event among  Zalgiris's 80th anniversary celebrations.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">True legend and Zalgiris synonym. 🌟<br><br>In honor of Zalgiris’s 80th season, the legendary basketball player Arvydas Sabonis, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, was honored before the EuroLeague game. 👏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/hLAuiMLdgq">pic.twitter.com/hLAuiMLdgq</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1877780114978566592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Zalgiris used artificial intelligence to turn old photos into the videos that were shown on the jumbotron during the pregame tribute.

Sabonis is more than a Zalgiris legend. He is the club's Honorary President and the best player to ever come out of basketball-crazy Lithuania. As a player, Sabonis was a generational talent ahead of this time, a 2.21-meter mobile center who could run the floor and pass the ball like a guard, take three-point shots and finish in the paint with great authority. His off-the-charts basketball IQ allowed him to dominate almost any basketball game. Sabonis is also a Lithuanian icon who remained loyal to his country, as the country's most famous sports person when it regained independence in the early 1990s.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Back to the ‘80s with the true legend Arvydas Sabonis! 🎞️<br> <br>In honor of Zalgiris’s 80th season, the legendary basketball player Arvydas Sabonis, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, will be honored in tomorrow’s EuroLeague game before the team introductions. 🌟 <a href="https://t.co/u09C130bKA">pic.twitter.com/u09C130bKA</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1877336171098808753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Born in Kaunas, Sabonis made his Zalgiris's first-team debut in 1981. He helped Zalgiris win three consecutive Soviet Union League titles from 1985 to 1987, setting up a legendary, ongoing sports rivalry with CSKA Moscow. His matchup against CSKA center Vladimir Tkachenko defined an era in European basketball. They played together on the Soviet Union national team, which Sabonis helped win respective gold medals at the 1988 Olympic Games, 1982 Basketball World Cup and EuroBasket 1985. When Lithuania became independent, Sabonis led its national team to Olympic bronze medals in 1992 and 1996 and silver at EuroBasket 1995.

Despite two Achilles tendon injuries that led to chronic knee, ankle and groin issues, Sabonis went on to play in Spain, first for Valladolid and then for Real, which he led to the 1995 EuroLeague crown as the Final Four MVP. Even he was no longer than explosive, Sabonis changed his game, enhancing his three-point shooting and unique passing skills.

Sabonis played in the NBA for seven seasons for the Portland TrailBlazers before returning to Zalgiris, where he played the 2003-04 EuroLeague. At age 40, Sabonis simply dominated, averaging 16.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and a league-best PIR of 26.3. He took Zalgiris to the very gates of the 2004 Final Four, but a heartbreaking overtime loss against Maccabi in Tel Aviv prevented his team from reaching even higher.

One of his sons, Domantas Sabonis, is an NBA star. Another, Tautvydas, is one of Zalgiris's assistant coaches. More than 20 years after retiring from basketball, if Zalgiris is mentioned anywhere around the world, Arvydas Sabonis is the first player who comes to mind.

More Zalgiris News

The club chose its game against Real Madrid, one of his former clubs, to pay homage to the legendary center

[ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/ber/) has announced the signing of [Michael Kessens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/michael-kessens/003481/) on a deal until the end of the season, following the center's exit from [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) on Thursday.

Kessens (2.06 meters, 33 years old) lifted the BKT EuroCup title last season as Paris's captain, but he did not feature for the club through the first 20 rounds of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Willkommen bei ALBA, Michael Kessens! 👋<br> <br>Vertrag bis zum Saisonende: Der deutsche Center wechselt von Paris nach Berlin und wird unseren Frontcourt in der <a href="https://twitter.com/easyCreditBBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@easyCreditBBL</a> verstärken.<br> <br>Let&#39;s gooooooooo! 💛💙<br> <br>🔗 Alle Infos: <a href="https://t.co/oxQ95JpXiX">https://t.co/oxQ95JpXiX</a> <a href="https://t.co/PM4LmHQ6r7">pic.twitter.com/PM4LmHQ6r7</a></p>&mdash; ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/albaberlin/status/1877675277343485992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

During Paris's EuroCup-winning season in 2023-24, Kessens averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 13 appearances.

A Germany international, the 33-year-old returns to Germany where he had previously spent his entire professional career, suiting up for Eisbaren Bremerhaven (2017-18), SC Rasta Vechta (2018-20), the Fraport Skyliners (2020-21), and Telekom Baskets Bonn (2021-23). 

With Bonn, Kessens was part of the team that won the 2023 Basketball Champions League title under Tuomas Iisalo, who then brought several Bonn players to Paris and went on to secure the EuroCup championship.

More ALBA Berlin News

He heads back to Germany after a season and a half in the French capital

Michael Kessens switches Paris for ALBA

There are several mouth-watering games for EuroLeague fans to enjoy in Round 20 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season this Friday night.

Game Center: Round 20 continues this Friday night

## Friday, January 10

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 76-82 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/defensive-minded-asvel-rallies-to-stun-efes-76-82/)

ASVEL came back from an 11-point third-quarter deficit, not allowing a single field goal in the fourth quarter, as it beat Efes 76-82 on Friday night. The win improved ASVEL to a 9-11 record and saw Pierric Poupet's men sweep the season series against Efes, which dropped to 10-10 and 0-1 under new head coach Luca Banchi.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">NEW WIN ON THE ROAD ! 🔥<br><br>Au caractère, les Villeurbannais vont chercher une énorme victoire sur le parquet du double vainqueur de l&#39;Euroleague, l&#39;Anadolu Efes ! 💪<br><br>Place désormais à 3 matchs consécutifs européens à la maison et ça commence dès mardi face au Partizan ! <br>🎟… <a href="https://t.co/4FzrAPwY9e">pic.twitter.com/4FzrAPwY9e</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1877801113371693096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 64-83 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-defense-pounds-zalgiris-into-submission-64-83/)

Real Madrid grabbed its fifth consecutive victory by edging Zalgiris 64-83 on the road in Round 20 on Friday. Real improved to 11-9 in the standings while Zalgiris dropped to 10-10 and is on a four-game losing streak. *Los Blancos*' 19-point win saw them also take the tiebreak advantage after registering a nine-point loss against Zalgiris in Round 15.

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gg9RPLLXcAAc9Gk?format=jpg&name=large)

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 85-69 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dominant-crvena-zvezda-subdues-paris-85-69/)

Crvena Zvezda rolled on with a resounding 85-69 home win over Paris in the EuroLeague, improving to 12-8 after its fourth successive victory while the visitors dropped to 11-8 following a fifth defeat in a row.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">STATEMENT VICTORY 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/4hWknbHjd5">pic.twitter.com/4hWknbHjd5</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1877822324940120097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 112-69 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/sasha-vezenkov-makes-history-as-olympiacos-thrashes-bayern-112-69/)

Olympiacos and Sasha Vezenkov enjoyed a historic night on Friday as the Reds thrashed Bayern 112-69 at Peace and Friendship Stadium. Despite the absences of Evan Fournier and captain Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos led from start to finish, with Vezenkov recording a career-high 45 points – the third most points in EuroLeague history. The hosts shared the ball smoothly throughout the game, registering a club-record 36 assists. Olympiacos remains top of the standings with a 14-6 record, while Bayern dropped to 11-9 after suffering its fourth loss in five games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">FINAL 🏀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> - FC Bayern Munich 112-69 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OLYBAY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OLYBAY</a> <a href="https://t.co/dIgEA5E1xQ">pic.twitter.com/dIgEA5E1xQ</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1877823428918440028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna 76-74 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-wins-another-thriller-over-baskonia-prevails-76-74-at-home/)

Virtus survived another major drama against Baskonia to continue its push up the lower ranks of the standings with a 76-74 win at home. Virtus wasted a 15-point lead but managed to fend off the Spanish side for the second time in the last six rounds in moving to 6-14. The Italian outfit also took its record to 4-2 under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic – the first win being the improbable 81-82 win over Baskonia in Spain in Round 15.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">VINCIAMO NOI, NONOSTANTE TUTTO ❗️ <a href="https://t.co/eaOnVH9lX7">pic.twitter.com/eaOnVH9lX7</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Segafredo Bologna (@VirtusSegafredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo/status/1877834586526187746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, January 9

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 90-73 ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-alba-berlin/E2024/172/)

Fenerbahce recorded two straight victories for the first time since Rounds 10 and 11 by beating ALBA at Ulker Sports and Event Hall. A tight, back-and-forth affair in the first three quarters was followed by a 22-4 Fenerbahce charge in the fourth to finish the game off. With this victory, Fenerbahce improved its record to 12-7. ALBA registered its seventh consecutive loss and dropped to 3-17. Sertac Sanli led all scorers with a season-high 18 points and Marko Guduric and Nigel Hayes-Davis netted 14 each. Gabriele Procida paced ALBA with 14 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Maç Bizim! 💪 <br><br>Bravo Takım! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Alba Berlin: 90-73 <br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Sertaç 18, Guduric 14, Hayes-Davis 14, Colson 10, Pierre 9, Melli 9, Biberovic 8, Mays 4, Hall 2, Birch 2. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/NI84iJoOYA">pic.twitter.com/NI84iJoOYA</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1877440705708081569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [AS Monaco 84-98 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fc-barcelona/E2024/173/)

Barcelona delivered a strong road performance to triumph at Monaco, improving to 11-9 in its quest to climb the standings. Monaco dropped to 13-7 and will lose a share of first place if Olympiacos Piraeus beats FC Bayern Munich on Friday. Barcelona controlled early on and took a double-digit lead early in the second quarter before Monaco fought back to make it 41-45 at the break. Monaco briefly led in the third but the visitor pulled away again, standing firm in the final minutes for a key win. Dario Brizuela led the way with a career-high 27 points and Chimizie Metu added 13 points plus 8 rebounds. Mike James paced Monaco with 23 points and 8 assists.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐀𝐈𝐗𝐈́ 𝐒𝐈́, 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐂̧𝐀! GRAN VICTÒRIA A MÒNACO 👊 <a href="https://t.co/yQB0TgzyUR">pic.twitter.com/yQB0TgzyUR</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1877444656788603319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 74-107 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2024/175/)

Milan earned an important victory in its battle to make the playoffs by rolling past Maccabi in Belgrade. Milan took the third quarter 17-33 to lay the foundation for its second straight win to move to 11-9. Milan avoided a slip-up against struggling Maccabi with Shavon Shields pacing five scorers in double figures with 18 points. Maccabi lost for the seventh time in the last eight games and now has a 5-15 record. Roman Sorkin led the losing side with 16 points. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big win in Belgrade🤍❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/qvq5yKL63p">pic.twitter.com/qvq5yKL63p</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1877459637588398587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 96-84 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2024/174/)

Reigning champion Panathinaikos improved to 13-7 and celebrated its fifth successive victory after overpowering Partizan on the back of a game-high 25 points from top scorer Kendrick Nunn and a majestic display from Jerian Grant. With influential playmakers Lorenzo Brown and Kostas Sloukas sidelined, Grant pulled all the strings on offense as he racked up 14 points, 8 assists and 7 boards, propelling a smooth effort at both ends. At the other end, Sterling Brown stood out for Partizan with 23 points, but the visitors dropped to a 9-11 record.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PartizanBC</a> 96-84<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://t.co/xN2eJOz0dO">pic.twitter.com/xN2eJOz0dO</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1877464085551321178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce, Barcelona, Milan and Panathinaikos were victorious on Thursday night

Game Center: Huge night for Vezenkov, Olympiacos; ASVEL, Madrid, Zvezda, Virtus win

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-01-10T19:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-10T19:15:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Paris Basketball (2025-01-10T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-01-09T19:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-09T19:05:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-01-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v ALBA Berlin (2025-01-09T17:45:00.000Z)

The man known as the ‘Basque Mamba’ turned himself into Super Dario, as Dario Brizuela scored a career-high 27 points to help FC Barcelona defeat AS Monaco with an impressive array of shot-making as he scored with relentless consistency to spearhead an 84-98 triumph

Dario Brizuela’s career night boosted under-pressure Barca

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2024-25) headed into Thursday night’s tough trip to co-leader [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2024-25) under severe pressure.

Earlier in the week, the *Blaugrana* suffered consecutive domestic league defeats against local rivals Joventut Badalona and Basquet Girona, leaving [Joan Penarroya](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/penarroya-joan/?season=E2024)’s men in serious danger of failing to qualify for the Spanish Cup for the first time ever.

With the team also placed precariously in the middle of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings, it was time for a hero to step forward... And on its trip to the principality, Barca found an unlikely source of inspiration through one of its lesser-heralded talents: [Dario Brizuela](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dario-brizuela/009992/).

The man known as the ‘Basque Mamba’ turned himself into Super Dario, downing Monaco with an impressive array of shot-making as he scored with relentless consistency to spearhead [an 84-98 triumph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dario-brizuela-blasts-barca-past-monaco-84-98/), getting his team back in touch with the all-important top four.

Dario Brizuela scored a career-high 27 points for FC Barcelona against AS Monaco, 01/09/2025

Dario Brizuela scored 27 points against Monaco

Brizuela came into the game off the bench midway through the first quarter, and his first act was as a distributor to provide an assist for [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/), whose three-point strike gave Barca a commanding early 6-15 lead. But the 30-year-old guard is primarily known as a scorer, and he soon settled into his shooting rhythm by netting a three-pointer, which was followed early in the second quarter by a layup to establish the game’s first double-digit margin, a free throw and another triple.

Barca needed to keep on scoring to prevent determined Monaco from taking control of the game and, with usual marksman [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) suffering a quiet evening until the final quarter, Brizuela’s constancy was the main motor for the visiting team throughout the game.

His third three-pointer, still only midway through the second quarter, saw Brizuela become the game’s first player to reach double digits. When Monaco’s third-quarter comeback threatened to turn the game around, he returned off the bench and immediately got back into the scoring groove – which continued in the final quarter. Brizuela started off that final frame by scoring 5 points in 21 seconds and later added another pair of triples to ensure the home team could not set up a close finale.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">27 punts, 6 triples, 25 de valoració. Nit de rècord de <a href="https://twitter.com/basquemamba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basquemamba</a> 🫡 <a href="https://t.co/I9WRfudHUN">pic.twitter.com/I9WRfudHUN</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1877446187080429602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

When it was all over, Brizuela had racked up a career-best 27 points, with excellent efficiency as he made 4-of-6 two-point attempts and 6 of 8 from long range, also adding a couple of assists, 2 rebounds and a steal. Also, significantly, he spent nearly 29 minutes on the floor – more than any other Barca player and way above his previous season-high of 19:41.

The game’s hero admitted it was an important win to lift his team’s spirits after their tough start to the week, saying: “We are in a hard moment right now because we’ve been losing a lot of games in the last minute with bad luck, so this win is huge for us.”

With nine teams separated by just one win between 4th and 12th places at the start of Round 20, it doesn’t take much of a run to make a major move up the EuroLeague standings. Barca is now just one win short of fourth place, and Brizuela acknowledged his team is targeting a strong end to the regular season.

“Now we are fighting for a good spot, so to get a win like this against the leader in EuroLeague is huge for us,” he said. “We’ve got to build from this and keep growing as a team.”

There is still a long way to go, but Brizuela’s scoring exploits on Thursday night gave Barca a big boost at the perfect time.

The Spanish team enjoyed a much-needed win at Monaco on Thursday thanks to a great game from its shooting guard

Dario Brizuela’s career night boosted under-pressure Barcelona

Here, you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 20

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### ALBA Berlin

Louis Olinde and Justin Bean are ruled out for ALBA's game at Fenerbahce on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Louis Olinde and Martin Hermannsson both missed Round 19 after featuring in Round 18.
- [Justin Bean](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/justin-bean-out-three-months-with-broken-wrist/) is out until early February after breaking his wrist.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Efes has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ASVEL on Friday.

- [New head coach Luca Banchi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-appoints-luca-banchi-as-head-coach/) has not yet been registered.

### AS Monaco

Alpha Diallo remains out and will miss Monaco's game against Barcelona on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Nick Calathes made his first appearance of the season in Round 19.
- [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-basket-loses-alpha-diallo-to-knee-injury/) has not yet returned to action from a knee injury.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Virtus on Friday.

- [Tadas Sedekerskis is out with an injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-tadas-sedekerskis-suffers-thigh-injury/) in his thigh muscle, but no timetable has been set for his return.
- New Baskonia signing [Luka Samanic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/luka-samanic-arrives-to-bolster-baskonia-frontline/) made his debut in Round 19.
- [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot-sidelined-with-calf-injury/), who last played in Round 11, is dealing with a calf injury, but no timetable has been set for his return.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Branko Lazic and Mike Daum are ruled out of Crvena Zvezda's game against Paris on Friday, according to the club's official website.

- Ognjen Dobric has missed the last three rounds with an ankle injury.
- Branko Lazic has missed the last four rounds with a back injury.
- [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-signs-defensive-ace-john-brown/) made his debut in Round 19.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Neno Dimitrijevic, Fabien Causeur and Josh Nebo are all ruled out for Milan's game at Maccabi on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Fabien Causeur missed Round 19 due to muscle discomfort.
- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Jan Vesely (knee) and Nico Laprovittola (knee) are ruled out for Barcelona's game at Monaco on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Nick Weiler-Babb, Oscar da Silva and Vladimir Lucic are all ruled out for Bayern's game at Olympiacos on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Bayern has been without Vladimir Lucic (muscle bruise) since Round 2.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Wade Baldwin, Arturs Zagars and Scottie Wilbekin are all ruled out for Fenerbahce's game against ALBA on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Dyshawn Pierre returned to action in Round 19.
- [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-out-with-hamstring-injury/) has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in Round 16.
- [Arturs Zagars](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/arturs-zagars-fenerbahce-beko-foot-injury/) has not played since Round 14 with a foot injury.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Efes on Friday.

- Joffrey Lauvergne last played in Round 16.
- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.
- [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/charles-kahudi-out-for-four-weeks-with-groin-injury/) is out until mid-January with a groin injury.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Maccabi has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Milan on Thursday.

- [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-loses-jasiel-rivero-again-to-torn-hamstring/) is out until early-to-mid January with a torn hamstring.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Evan Fournier and Kostas Papanikolaou are unlikely to play due to a virus while Keenan Evans and Moses Wright are ruled out for Olympiacos's game against Bayern on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Nathan Mensah made his debut in Round 19.
- Giannoulis Larentzakis (neck muscle strain) returned to action in the Greek League, but he has not featured in the EuroLeague since Round 16.
- [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/moses-wright-out-for-the-season-with-health-issue/) is out for the season with a health issue.
- [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-star-keenan-evans-out-long-term-after-knee-surgery/) remains sidelined after undergoing knee surgery. He has not yet been registered for the competition.
- Naz Mitrou-Long has not played for Olympiacos so far this season.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Lorenzo Brown and Kostas Sloukas are questionable for Panathinaikos's game against Partizan on Thursday while Mathias Lessort and Marius Grigonis are ruled out, the club has confirmed.

- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and will miss several months.
- Ioannis Papapetrou, who has not played in the last two rounds, played in the Greek League on Sunday.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Crvena Zvezda on Friday.

- Enzo Shahrvin has not played since Round 5.
- Daulton Hommes has not yet played this season.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Vanja Marinkovic and Mitar Bosnjakovic are ruled out for Partizan's game at Panathinaikos on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Iffe Lundberg returned to action in Round 19 after not featuring since Round 12.
- Vanja Marinkovic has not played since Round 16 due to an Achilles injury.
- Mitar Bosnjakovic (ankle) last played in Round 16.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Zalgiris on Friday.

- [Gaby Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-loses-gabriel-deck-to-torn-hamstring/) is sidelined with a torn hamstring.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Will Clyburn,Toko Shengelia and Ante Zizic are ruled out for Virtus's game against Baskonia on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Will Clyburn is out until mid-March](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/will-clyburn-virtus-bologna-out-at-least-10-weeks-with-foot-injury/) due to a foot injury.
- Toko Shengelia has not played since Round 15.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Real Madrid on Friday.

- Tomas Dimsa, who has not been registered, remains out with a shoulder injury.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 20: Fournier, Papanikolaou likely out; Bayern, Milan missing three players

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 20 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 20

## Friday, January 10

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (18:30 CET)

\--

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Real Madrid (19:00 CET)

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"I would be not super smart, not smart enough, if I would think that the development of the game will be similar to the game that we played in Madrid. They have played better in the last few games, going on a winning streak, and if the talent decides the strength of the team, it's one of the best. We need to be ready to play a different game. The thing is that I see my players every day, I see how we work, and I believe that tomorrow we will need the support of everybody because my team just needs a win to get back on track. We had one so-so performance, one terrible performance, one great performance, but the result didn't change. We played different; the Olympiacos game was really, really good, especially in the first half. We just need to play tomorrow not thinking about the single possession, think about the effort on 40 minutes, team plays on offense, team defense, and the unbelievable support of all Zalgiris fans. We need a little bit of electricity in the air, we need a bit of a push, we need a bit of everything because the only thing that my team needs is a good performance for 40 minutes. With the help of everybody, I believe that we can have it."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"Zalgiris is a team that plays with a lot of energy at home, that is defending really well, that rebounds well and that is capable of beating anyone. We have to play a very complete game during the 40 minutes, without letting ourselves out of the game, because we know that they have players of great quality and a deep and very complete bench."

**Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid forward**

"Zalgiris is a very aggressive team in their game and very difficult to win in front of their fans. They are playing very well, but we are in good rhythm and I think if we close the defensive rebounding and if we run and defend well we can have a chance to win."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Paris Basketball (20:00 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"Paris will be a very demanding opponent who already have six wins away from home. They are extremely dangerous. Their style of play is such that if they catch you in their rhythm, you will have problems. So we have to play our game, control the rhythm and spoil the way they are attacking. We expect a big battle and that our fans will help."

**Nemanja Nedović, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade guard**

"We are playing at home, we hope it will be the best atmosphere so far. I think we deserved these two wins in Spain, and we hope to win again. I think that here in January the season breaks, one way or the other, but we are also aware that a lot depends on us. Paris is a team that plays quite fast, and atypical for today's basketball, but I think we know how to beat them, we showed that in the first game, and I think we will be ready to face everything that awaits us on Friday."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:15 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"It is a very difficult game against a very good team, especially on offense. They have scoring guards who determine the game. Unfortunately, the timing is not good for us. We are missing Fournier and Papanikolaou. Both caught a virus, and they will miss the game. This fact makes our job even more difficult. Bayern has proven this season that they are a team with stability, not a shooting star. They have consistency, and they have made some big wins. It is going to be a very demanding game; that’s why all players must be ready to fight. All together and individually, we must fulfill our role in order to get the win."

**Luca Vildoza, Olympiacos Piraeus guard**

"It is a tough game. Bayern is a good team, and they are in good shape, regardless of their loss against Real Madrid. They will come here determined to defeat us; that’s why we must be ready for a tough game. After all, we play on our home court, with our fans on our side, and everything is in our favor."

**Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"This is the tough part of the schedule: we play on Friday, Sunday, Wednesday, and then Friday again within eight days. We have injuries, but every team has to deal with that; we just have to push through, and resistance shapes you. If you're aiming to make the EuroLeague playoffs, the coming weeks are the big games. Of course, it would be great to stay in first place in the BBL, but you can still go into the playoffs later as the second, third, or fourth seed. I always watch a lot of EuroLeague games, and Olympiacos especially, because they have their style, move the ball excellently, and just know how to play. They undoubtedly have an incredible amount of quality."

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:45 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"Baskonia is a very good team, with an athletic roster, and in the last game of the Spanish championship they proved once again that they are a level team. A few weeks ago in the first game we won, we were lucky, we remember that but tomorrow we will have to play better to win."

**Rayjon Tucker, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard**

"I expect a tough game, we know how the first game went a short time ago, with Will's basket and that's also why it will be tough. Obviously we are a bit of an emergency but that should not affect us in wanting to win the game. We will have to play hard and focused, putting attention on the small details."

## Thursday, January 9

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. ALBA Berlin (18:45 CET)

**Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"ALBA Berlin is coming off a big win against Bayern. It was a big comeback for them. Like always, the most important points against Alba are to take care of their transition defense, their activity and not so much pick-and-roll related offenses as much as the off picks, so really concentrate on the off picks."

**Marko Guduric, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard**

"We play against a good team that likes to run. They share the ball very well offensively. We just have to try to do the same job as last game; try to think about ourselves, our defense, and the most important thing, try to win the game and protect our home court."

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"We definitely want to take the confidence boost from our win against Bayern in the domestic league into the EuroLeague game against Fenerbahçe. We want to be more consistent and continue to improve our defense."

**Malte Delow, ALBA Berlin guard**

"We have to take the energy from the game against Bayern into the new week. New week, new opponents, new challenges. We'll fight our way from game to game, have to confirm our performance from Sunday and also want to take another step forward in the EuroLeague."

### AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona (19:00 CET)

**Nick Calathes, AS Monaco guard**

"Yes, it was an intense time with Barcelona, but I'm going to concentrate on the game and the result. We need to protect our home advantage – we've got three road fixtures next. It's a big duel, Barcelona need a win and we need to keep that same appetite for victory. I know we'll be highly motivated. Objectively, we want to stay top of the standings. It's going to be a big game, with great players on both sides of the floor."

**Youssoupha Fall, FC Barcelona center**

"Now we are in a tough moment, it's not really easy for us. But we're still good competitors and we want to win everything. We will do everything to try to beat Monaco tomorrow. It's a difficult game because now they play better than before; they have a new coach and they don't have injuries. They play good. I watched the last game of Monaco, and they really play good. We just have to play tough, play our game. No matter what is happening, we are still Barcelona, we have good players. We just have to play good, play our game, and I think we will win."

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:05 CET)

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"They are in excellent form, playing exceptionally well after a somewhat slower start to the season. They are very dangerous, an outstanding shooting team with two versatile and dominant big men. This is a tough defensive team."

**Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward**

"For us, we're just preaching a lot of the things Coach tells us: keep trying to get better on the defensive end, keeping the flow on offense, and just playing together. We know that basketball is a game of runs so there's going to be a lot of ups and down; we just need to withstand those runs and try to build some runs of our own."

**David DeJulius, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"We have a brilliant coaching staff. As players, we've got to continue to grow together. It's a long season, 10-month season, so you've just got to weather the storm. It's about ups and downs; we've been down for a while, now we've just got to climb up."

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"For obvious and known reasons, outside the realm of sports, Maccabi is living a not so easy season. However, its record is not mirroring what they have shown on the court: even when they lost, they lost competing through the end. They are a team with a clear identity, based on rhythm and ball movement, with players capable to solve the most complicated situation with their one-on-one moves. Keep them from deciding the tempo of the game, through controlling the boards and an accurate shot selection, will be crucial for our chances of winning a difficult game."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"Partizan is an extremely good team. I like their style of play, they have very offensive players, and inside, they have experienced players like Brandon Davies and Tyrique Jones. But mostly, of course, their game depends on their perimeter players: Carlik Jones, Sterling Brown, Frank Ntilikina, Duane Washington, who has averaged 17 or 18 points the last few games. It will be a very difficult, tough game. For sure, we need to be aggressive, we need to create a very aggressive atmosphere like we had in Belgrade; we had a very aggressive atmosphere there, so at the end of the game we lost by a huge difference. We need the same contribution here with our fans, and we need to fight for every ball."

**Jerian Grant, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard**

"They've got a point guard \[Carlik Jones\] who can create, they've got a big in Tyrique \[Jones\] who can go up and get it, so we're focusing on them. But they've got a team full of players who can play. They beat us pretty bad when we were there, so it's a game that we want and we need. We've been talking about it, we know what happened there, and we're excited to be able to play them here at home."

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"Panathinaikos is back in top form, consistently securing dominant victories with significant score differences. Despite the absence of the injured Mathias Lessort, they’ve shown their depth and adaptability. We’re talking about a team that is not only a European champion but also built to chase the highest ambitions in basketball. They're already promising a fierce rematch with an electrifying atmosphere, similar to what we created in the Arena. They’ll undoubtedly aim to perform far better than they did in the previous game. For us, that’s an extra challenge and motivation to prove we can compete head-to-head with the very best teams in Europe."

**Carlik Jones, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"We’re looking forward to the game ahead. We played exceptionally well against them at home, but we know this will be a completely different game. It’s going to be extremely tough and demanding, as we fully expect them to come out with more energy and deliver a much stronger performance than they did in Belgrade. We know what lies ahead, and we are ready."

Pregame quotes hub: 'We need a little bit of electricity in the air'

Fenerbahce Beko bolstered its banged-up backcourt by signing veteran guard Errick McCollum for the remainder of the season.

Fenerbahce pads backcourt with Errick McCollum

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) has bolstered its banged-up backcourt by signing veteran guard [Errick McCollum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/errick-mccollum/profile/005216/) for the remainder of the season. 

McCollum (1.88 meters, 36 years old) joins Fenerbahce after spending the past two and half seasons in the Turkish League with Pinar Karsiyaka. He averaged 16 points and 5.2 assists in 12 Turkish League games this season.

McCollum brings a wealth of experience at the top levels of Europe, including two seasons in the EuroLeague. The first of those came with Fenerbahce’s cross-town rival Anadolu Efes Istanbul in 2017-18 and the second was with Khimki Moscow Region in 2020-21. He averaged 13.1 points and 2.3 assists with 57 EuroLeague games between those seasons.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Errick McCollum Fenerbahçe Beko’da! ✍️💛💙<br><br>👉 <a href="https://t.co/0OGxzX9882">https://t.co/0OGxzX9882</a> <a href="https://t.co/uLNXd8yR5V">pic.twitter.com/uLNXd8yR5V</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1877626865600397462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The 2015-16 EuroCup MVP, McCollum left his mark on that competition, which he won with Galatasaray Istanbul in 2016. McCollum also played for Panionios Athens, UNICS Kazan and Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in the EuroCup. He is third all-time in EuroCup scoring with 1,489 points. 

McCollum previously played professionally for Elitzur Netanya and Hapoel Kfar Saba in Israel, Apollon Patras in Greece, and Zhejiang and Beikong in China.

More Fenerbahce News

The guard returns to the EuroLeague for the first time since the 2020-21 season