On Friday, Sergio Llull added yet another milestone to his impressive roll of honors by becoming the player with the most appearances in EuroLeague history. 

Sergio Llull breaks all-time EuroLeague record for games played

On Friday, [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) added yet another milestone to his impressive roll of honors by becoming the player with the most appearances in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history. Llull stepped onto the court with 2:50 minutes left in the first quarter of [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/)'s Round 19 [win against FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/musa-hezonja-lead-real-madrid-past-bayern-88-76/), marking his 426th game in the competition.

Coming into Round 19, Llull was tied with four-time EuroLeague champion [Kyle Hines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-hines/002812/), who retired this past summer, with 425 appearances. Two other players have gone past 400 games in EuroLeague history: [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) played his 406th game tonight, going past [Sergio Rodriguez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-rodriguez/cvm/), who also retired during the 2024 offseason and totaled 405 EuroLeague appearances.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">History made here👀<br><br>When <a href="https://twitter.com/23Llull?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@23Llull</a> entered the court tonight👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/jHoMpLo70v">pic.twitter.com/jHoMpLo70v</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1875280422097289572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

At age 37, Llull’s name is all over the EuroLeague and Real Madrid record books. He was already the all-time leader in three-point shots made with 662, having hit one during *Los Blancos’* win over Bayern. Most recently, Llull become the all-time leader in minutes played in the competition with over 9,410 minutes. Llull also fifth in scoring with 4,071 points and sixth in assists with 1,430.

He is also one of the bigger winners of his generation. He helped Real win three EuroLeague titles in 2015, 2018 and 2023, playing four more championship games in 2013, 2014, 2022 and 2024. Llull is tied with Sloukas for second place in most Final Four appearances (10), only trailing [Victor Khryapa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/victor-khryapa/bcq/) (12).

In his 19 seasons with Real, Llull has led *Los Blancos* to eight Spanish League titles, seven Spanish Cups, nine Spanish Super Cups and the 2015 Intercontinental Cup title. Llull was chosen as the 2016-17 EuroLeague MVP, earning All-EuroLeague First Team honors, and was selected to the 2010-11 All-EuroLeague Second Team.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today he can become the player with the most games played in the history of EuroLeague🌟<br><br>The very best of <a href="https://twitter.com/23Llull?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@23llull</a> from game 1 to game 425👇<a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/nBWd1R2uLp">pic.twitter.com/nBWd1R2uLp</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1875183254615269523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What’s more, Llull is a two-time Spanish League Finals MVP, two-time Spanish Cup MVP and 2016-17 Spanish League MVP. He is also a World Cup winner, three-tine EuroBasket winners and two-time Olympic medalist with the Spanish national team.

With another EuroLeague title, Llull would become the first player to win four continental crowns with Real since Wayne Brabender (1968, 1974, 1978, 1980) more than four decades ago. Just a few days ago, on December 29, 2024, Llull also became the player with the most appearances in the Spanish League with 620. On January 9, 2024, he also became the player to wear Real's jersey the most times with 1,047 appearances.

And the best news for Real fans is that Llull is still going strong, willing to break more records and lift more titles.

Game News

He now appeared in 426 EuroLeague games, more than anyone else

Sergio Llull breaks EuroLeague record for games played

Real Madrid v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-03T20:00:00.000Z)

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 2024-25 Round 19

Game Center: The Istanbul derby highlights a five-game slate tonight

## Friday, December 27

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 84-76 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-efes-in-rivalry-series-matchup-84-76/)

Fenerbahce started 2025 on the right foot by topping Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84-76 in Round 19's Rivalry Series game on Friday. Fenerbahce improved to 11-7 in the standings and has a 2-0 record against Efes, which dropped to 10-9. Tarik Biberovic and Marko Guduric led the winners with 17 points apiece. Guduric also contributed 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Nigel Hayes-Davis had 12 points while Devon Hall got 11 for Fenerbahce. Elijah Bryant led Efes with 16 points. Shane Larkin added 15 while Jordan Nwora and Vincent Poirier each had 12.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">2025 yılına galibiyetle başlıyoruz! 💛💙<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Anadolu Efes: 84-76 <br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Guduric 17, Biberovic 17, Hayes-Davis 12, Hall 11, Mays 9, Melli 7, Sertaç 6, Pierre 3, Colson 1, Birch 1. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/6QSS7pkKOT">pic.twitter.com/6QSS7pkKOT</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1875268218669166972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Paris Basketball 79-90 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-holds-off-paris-79-90/)

Barcelona got back to winning ways, controlling things for the majority of the night in the French capital and downing Paris 79-90 on Friday. Barcelona snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-9 on the season, while Paris lost its fourth straight game and now holds an 11-7 record, but holds the tiebreaker against Barcelona due to its 16-point win in Round 10. Barcelona took the lead for good in the first quarter with a 0-8 run and led by as many as 14 points on several occasions in the second half. Paris rallied, but never got closer than 4 points. Willy Hernangomez starred with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Chimezie Metu had 13 points, Tomas Satoransky and Kevin Punter netted 12 apiece, while Jabari Parker scored 11 in the victory. TJ Shorts led Paris with 20 points, Maodo Lo scored 18, Nadir Hifi had 14 and Tyson Ward 13 points in defeat.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋!! COMENCEM L&#39;ANY AMB VICTÒRIA! <a href="https://t.co/JG84Pgzc8j">pic.twitter.com/JG84Pgzc8j</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1875292398441685329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 111-90 Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-excels-on-offense-to-beat-virtus-111-90/)

Panathinaikos celebrated the new year with a convincing 111-90 win against Virtus. The Greens opened a double-digit margin at halftime, 64-42, thanks to a superb performance by Juancho Hernangomez and Omer Yurtseven, but had to wait until Kendrick Nunn took over with 11 points in 2 minutes midway through the last quarter to effectively wrap up the victory. The Greens chained together their fourth win in a row to improve to 12-7, while Virtus slipped to 5-14 after snapping a two-game winning streak. Yurtseven led the winners with career highs in points (27) and PIR (34). Nunn also scored 27 points, having knocked down 5 three-pointers, while Hernangomez finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Lorenzo Brown contributed 12 points and Cedi Osman poured in 11. Virtus, which was without Toko Shengelia and Ante Zizic inside, had Will Clyburn with 25 points as its top scorer. Momo Diouf scored 15, Andrejs Grazulis chipped in with 12 and Isaia Cordinier added 11 and 5 assists in the losing effort.

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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/VirtusSegafredo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VirtusSegafredo</a> 111-90 <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/P6lAyzZXP1">pic.twitter.com/P6lAyzZXP1</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1875287002280817144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 98-75 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rampant-partizan-blows-away-maccabi-98-75/)

Partizan celebrated its biggest win of the season in the EuroLeague as the Serbian side demolished visiting Maccabi 98-75, with Sterling Brown leading the charge on 21 points. Brandon Davies added 16 points for Partizan, Duane Washington netted 13 and Carlik Jones racked up 11 to go with 8 assists, with Frank Nkilitina scoring 10 in a flowing team effort at both ends of the court, as the hosts improved to 9-10. At the other end, Tamir Blatt paced Maccabi with 16 points, John Di Bartolomeo scored 15 and Jaylen Hoard chipped in with 12 points for Maccabi, which dropped to 5-14.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Bravo crno-beli!🖤🤍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/dTE7y23fFJ">pic.twitter.com/dTE7y23fFJ</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1875292698657354069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 88-76 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/musa-hezonja-lead-real-madrid-past-bayern-88-76/)

Real Madrid grabbed its fourth consecutive victory by downing Bayern 88-76 at Movistar Arena in Round 19 on Friday. Real improved to 10-9 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 11-8. *Los Blancos* also grabbed the tiebreak advantage, having registered a 97-89 loss in Munich. Dzanan Musa led the winners with 15 points. Mario Hezonja added 14 while Facu Campazzo had 13 for Real. Carsen Edwards led Bayern with 18 points. Shabazz Napier added 17 while Devin Booker had 11 for the guests.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 88 - 76 <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBBasketball</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HalaMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HalaMadrid</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/oFadhS858J">pic.twitter.com/oFadhS858J</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1875299225027932486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, January 2

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 85-92 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-rallies-to-down-zalgiris-85-92/)

Olympiacos extended its unbeaten run to four games by defeating Zalgiris at Zalgirio Arena. The hosts fired on all cylinders before the break to take a 52-40 lead into the second half, where Olympiacos bounced back by tightening up its defense and outscoring Zalgiris 33-52 to turn the game around. With this win, the Reds improved their record to 13-6, with Zalgiris dropping to 10-9. Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 24 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Shaquielle McKissic netted 17 for the winners. Sylvain Francisco paced Zalgiris with 22 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZALOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZALOLY</a> Game stats 📊 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cosmote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cosmote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</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://t.co/eSSzurmU3G">pic.twitter.com/eSSzurmU3G</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1874909859319300277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 66-75 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mirotic-leday-help-milan-snap-losing-streak-with-win-at-asvel-66-75/)

Milan got back to winning ways by downing ASVEL, which saw the Italian side end its three-game losing streak and cause the French outfit to suffer a second straight defeat. Ettore Messina’s squad improved to 10-9 on the season, while Pierric Poupet’s men dropped to 8-11. Nikola Mirotic and Zach LeDay combined for 35 points as ASVEL struggled to contain the two star forwards. They were also the visiting team’s leading rebounders, with Mirotic grabbing 8 boards and LeDay 6. ASVEL’s Nando De Colo, who surpassed Vassilis Spanoulis to become the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in made free throws by going a perfect 8 for 8 (De Colo now has 1,135 to Spanoulis’s 1,131), scored a game-high 22 points. Theo Maledon had 18 points, but committed 7 turnovers and fouled out in the fourth quarter.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BIG road W for <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlimpiaMI1936</a>! ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/xsE5lNXuS0">pic.twitter.com/xsE5lNXuS0</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1874923892445438229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [ALBA Berlin 90-85 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-beats-alba-again-90-105/)

Monaco remained atop the standings by downing ALBA in the German capital in Round 19 on Thursday. Monaco improved to 13-6 in the standings while ALBA dropped to 3-16. Mike James led six Monaco scorers in double figures with 23 points and 7 assists and Matthew Strazel added 18 points. Matt Thomas and Yanni Wetzell paced ALBA with 17 points apiece.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The first 2025 win is in the books 😋🎊 <a href="https://t.co/YwnZf1KkwM">pic.twitter.com/YwnZf1KkwM</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket EN (@asmonaco_en) <a href="https://twitter.com/asmonaco_en/status/1874921950436605956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 73-75 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/resilient-crvena-zvezda-edges-out-baskonia-73-75/)

Crvena Zvezda completed a perfect tour of Spain with a victory at Baskonia to improve to 11-8. The win came after Zvezda celebrated a 74-78 win at Barcelona in the previous round. Joel Bolomboy paced Zvezda with 16 points and 8 rebounds, but it was Isaiah Canaan who emerged as the game-winner for the visitors after sinking a pair of crucial layups. Canaan finished with 15 points. Chima Moneke scored 18 points for Baskonia, which shot 0 of 15 from deep in the first half and dropped to 8-11 after a tough home loss.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ANOTHER ONE 🔥🔥🔥<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/jgmdP1IVtW">pic.twitter.com/jgmdP1IVtW</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1874932579864027271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

All four of Thursday night's games were won by the road team

Game Center: Barcelona the only road winner from Friday's five games

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-01-03T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v FC Barcelona (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-01-03T17:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v AS Monaco (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-01-02T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid grabbed its fourth consecutive victory by downing FC Bayern Munich 88-76 at Movistar Arena in Round 19 on Friday. Real improved to 10-9 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 11-8. 

Musa, Hezonja lead Real Madrid past Bayern, 88-76

Real Madrid grabbed its fourth consecutive victory by downing FC Bayern Munich 88-76 at Movistar Arena in Round 19 on Friday. Real improved to 10-9 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 11-8. 

*Los Blancos* also grabbed the tiebreak advantage, having registered a 97-89 loss in Munich. Dzanan Musa led the winners with 15 points. Mario Hezonja added 14 while Facu Campazzo had 13 for Real. Carsen Edwards led Bayern with 18 points. Shabazz Napier added 17 while Devin Booker had 11 for the guests.

Game Videos

Walter Tavares got Real going with a jump hook and Alberto Abalde added a mid-range jumper. Niels Giffey struck twice from downtown for a 4-6 Bayern lead. Musa stepped up with a floater which Abalde followed with a triple to put Real back ahead, 9-6. Tavares dunked and a red-hot Abalde erased Shabazz Napier's jumper with a driving layup. Musa hit a jumper and added free throws, Giffey scored again and Sergio Llull's corner three-pointer made it a double-digit game, 20-10. Ivan Kharchenkov scored in penetration, getting help from Booker to bring Bayern within 20-14. Hezonja took over with an acrobatic three-point play before Elias Harris's put-back basket fixed the score at 23-16 after 10 minutes.

Andres Feliz stepped up with a driving layup which Serge Ibaka followed with a jump hook for a 27-16 Real lead early in the second quarter. Harris dunked, but Xavier Rathan-Mayes banked in a close shot and Hezonja's put-back layup boosted Los Blancos' lead to 31-18. Edwards and Andreas Obst each struck from beyond the arc, and Oscar da Silva's consecutive layups brought Bayern within 33-28. Usman Garuba answered with an alley-oop layup and Musa's one-handed floater gave Real fresh air at 37-28. Campazzo buried a three-pointer and Hugo Gonzalez took over with a coast-to-coast layup. Hezonja followed a jumper with a triple to cap a 14-0 Real run that broke the game open, 47-28. Edwards's driving layup got Bayern within 47-30 at halftime.

 

Napier tried to ignite Bayern's comeback with a driving layup. Eli Ndiaye and Edwards traded layups before Booker's three-point play gave Bayern hope at 49-37. Musa answered from beyond the arc and Campazzo added a driving layup to keep Real out of trouble, 54-38. Edwards buried a jumper that Ndiaye improved with a corner triple. Napier kept pacing Bayern and got help from Edwards to keep the guests within 59-46. Musa insisted from downtown, Booker joined the three-point shootout and soon brought Bayern even closer, 62-50, at the end of the third quarter.

Rathan-Mayes sank a three-pointer off the dribble and Hezonja added a fast-break layup that made it an 17-point game, 67-50. Harris scored down low, then Johannes Voigtmann dunked in traffic and bettered Garuba's backdoor layup with a three-pointer. Napier soon added a layup-plus-foul that brought Bayern within single digits, 69-60. Rathan-Mayes banked in an off-balance shot, Garris and Garuba traded dunks before Napier kept Bayern within 73-64. Campazzo rescued Real with a three-point play but Edwards solved a broken play with a floater and soon added a driving layup. Campazzo kept pacing Real with a driving basket that Napier improved with a triple for a 78-71 score with 3 minutes left. Abalde and Booker exchanged layups before Hezonja restored an 82-73 Real lead. Tavares scored around the basket and Campazzo's three-point play sealed the outcome, 87-73, with 52.7 seconds to go.

Chus Mateo's side got the victory and the tiebreaker


KK Partizan celebrated its biggest win of the season in the EuroLeague as the Serbian side demolished visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 98-75, with Sterling Brown leading the charge on 21 points. 

Rampant Partizan blows away Maccabi, 98-75

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade celebrated its biggest win of the season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague as the Serbian side demolished visiting Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 98-75, with Sterling Brown leading the charge on 21 points.

Brandon Davies added 16 points for Partizan, Duane Washington netted 13 and Carlik Jones racked up 11 to go with 8 assists, with Frank Nkilitina scoring 10 in a flowing team effort at both ends of the court, as the hosts improved to 9-10.

At the other end, Tamir Blatt paced Maccabi with 16 points, John Di Bartolomeo scored 15 and Jaylen Hoard chipped in with 12 points for Maccabi, which dropped to 5-14.

Partizan made a flying start and the hosts kept their feet on the gas from start to finish, with Davies scoring 8 for Partizan early on as the hosts raced into a 17-5 lead. Carlik Jones pulled the strings on offense with a barrage of assists and Brown also got going, propelling Partizan into a 27-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second produced a similar pattern as Partizan stayed firmly in the driver’s seat and although Maccabi slashed the deficit to 37-26 at one point, Partizan found another gear shortly before the break to take a 48-32 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Maccabi’s only bright patch of the game came midway through the third period, with Partizan briefly struggling on offense which allowed the visitors to close the gap to 54.46. However, a perfect storm followed as Partizan hit back with a 16-1 run having scored the opening 15 points in the third quarter from downtown.

Free-flowing offense from Partizan was complemented by a huge defensive effort as the home team closed shop and finished on 15 steals and a staggering 8 blocks, while Brown and Tyrique Jones amplified the festive mood among the fans with an array of spectacular slam dunks.

Partizan soon romped away to an 80-51 lead early in the fourth quarter, its biggest of the night, having stayed in top gear as the home team’s head coach Zeljko Obradovic made sure his men kept the tempo high.

Obradovic said he welcomed the challenging fixture list for the rest of the regular season, with Partizan facing nine road games in the remaining 15 rounds in Europe’s premier club competition.

“Great, it gives us the opportunity to show that we have it in us to square off with any team on any court on the big stage,” Obradovic told the post-game news conference. “The most important thing is to stay fit and healthy. We did a great job tonight, especially on defense, having stifled out Maccabi and that generated smooth offense at the other end.”   

The Serbian team dominated at both ends for its most emphatic EuroLeague win of the season

FC Barcelona got back to winning ways, controlling things for the majority of the night in the French capital and downing Paris Basketball 79-90 on Friday. Barcelona snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-9 on the season, while Paris lost its fourth straight game and now holds an 11-7 record, but holds the tiebreaker against Barcelona due to its 16-point win in Round 10.

Barcelona holds off Paris, 79-90

FC Barcelona got back to winning ways, controlling things for the majority of the night in the French capital and downing Paris Basketball 79-90 on Friday. Barcelona snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-9 on the season, while Paris lost its fourth straight game and now holds an 11-7 record, but holds the tiebreaker against Barcelona due to its 16-point win in Round 10.

Barcelona took the lead for good in the first quarter with a 0-8 run and led by as many as 14 points on several occasions in the second half. Paris rallied, but never got closer than 4 points. Willy Hernangomez starred with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Chimezie Metu had 13 points, Tomas Satoransky and Kevin Punter netted 12 apiece, while Jabari Parker scored 11 in the victory. TJ Shorts led Paris with 20 points, Maodo Lo scored 18, Nadir Hifi had 14 and Tyson Ward 13 points in defeat.

Shorts scored 7 points, including a triple, to make it 9-6, but Barcelona had success going inside, first with Youssoupha Fall, then Hernangomez, who scored 5 points in a 0-8 run that put the visitors up 13-20. Ward ended a scoring drought for Paris, but Juan Nunez hit a three-pointer and Barcelona held a 19-25 lead after 10 minutes.

A three-pointer from Dario Brizuela opened a 21-30 margin before Lo had a pair of layups, and a Hifi fast-break layup got Paris within 28-32. After Punter had a three-point play, Ward nailed a triple for the hosts. Hernangomez and Satoransky kept Barcelona ahead, but Yakuba Ouattara beat the halftime buzzer with a triple to make it 36-40 at the break.

Parker opened the third quarter with a three-pointer, then Punter hit one as well to open Barcelona's first double-digit lead, 38-48. Ward and Shorts made driving baskets, but Hernangomez had 6 points, including a dunk, helping the visitors to 42-56. Paris had an answer with back-to-back threes from Hifi and Bandja Sy, but Satoransky answered with a triple to restore a double-digit margin. Hernangomez scored another basket from close range, and Satoransky from long range, 50-64, but Lo's three-point play helped the hosts cut it to 55-65 after 30 minutes.

Metu scored 6 points, with Parker's jumper in between them, to open a 59-73 margin, but Paris answered with a 9-0 run, started with an easy layup from Kevarrius Hayes, and capped with a triple from Hifi that got the hots within 68-73. Metu had a three-point play, but Hifi was getting to the free throw line to keep the margin at 4 points, before Alex Abrines and Lo traded triples to make it 77-81. However, Hernangomez fought his way for more points on Barcelona's next two possessions, which also sparked a 0-9 run capped by Hernangomez and Punter, that sealed the deal.

Joan Penarroya's men got another road triumph, their fifth of the season

Panathinaikos BC scored 100 or more points for the third straight home game by downing Virtus Bologna 111-90 in Round 19.

Panathinaikos excels on offense to beat Virtus, 111-90

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens celebrated the new year with a convincing 111-90 win against Virtus Segafredo Bologna. The Greens opened a double-digit margin at halftime, 64-42, thanks to a superb performance by Juancho Hernangomez and Omer Yurtseven, but had to wait until Kendrick Nunn took over with 11 points in 2 minutes midway through the last quarter to effectively wrap up the victory. The Greens chained together their fourth win in a row to improve to 12-7, while Virtus slipped to 5-14 after snapping a two-game winning streak.

Yurtseven led the winners with career highs in points (27) and PIR (34). Nunn also scored 27 points, having knocked down 5 three-pointers, while Hernangomez finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Lorenzo Brown contributed 12 points and Cedi Osman poured in 11. Virtus, which was without Toko Shengelia and Ante Zizic inside, had Will Clyburn with 25 points as its top scorer. Momo Diouf scored 15, Andrejs Grazulis chipped in with 12 and Isaia Cordinier added 11 and 5 assists in the losing effort.

Clyburn ran the show on offense for the visitors in the early going, scoring a floater, feeding Diouf for a dunk and nailing a three-pointer that set a 5-7 edge for Virtus. The hosts had to wait a little but to find the rim from long range, but when they did, it rained hard against Virtus. Jerian Grant opened fire, while Hernangomez and Nunn hit once each from downtown to make it 16-10 right before the first timeout. Clyburn remained unstoppable after the break, especially from behind the arc, as back-to-back triples got Virtus within 21-20. Nevertheless, Panathinaikos didn’t lose its poise and kept playing a smooth offense, with Nunn and Hernangomez punishing to extend the margin to 30-23 at the end of the first period.

Nicola Akele brought energy to the visitors right after the game resumed, as he delivered on both ends to bring Virtus within 30-28. Clyburn showed up again and nailed his fifth three-pointer from five attempts right before feeding Diouf for an inside basket that made it even closer, 34-33. Marco Belinelli evened things with a triple, as Diouf kept rocking to maintain the game on the wire, 38-38, midway through the second period. The Greens didn’t panic, though, and used Yurtseven inside to recover control. He rebounded on both ends, scored 6 points and fed Brown for a triple in an 11-2 run that set a 49-40 home advantage. Ioannis Papapetrou built a double-digit lead, 52-42, from behind the arc, as Yurtseven capped an amazing first half by moving to 18 points to put Panathinaikos firmly ahead, 54-42, at halftime.

Yurtseven added a three-point play shortly after the intermission to extend the margin to 59-46. Then Hernangomez took over with a dunk off a steal and his third three on as many attempts to get the fans off their feet and boost Panathinaikos to a 67-51 advantage. Cordinier and Grazulis teamed up for Virtus at that point, enough to prevent the Greens from escaping, 71-61. The rally didn’t go further, though, as Panathinaikos found Brown and Kostas Sloukas on the perimeter to almost send Virtus to the ropes, 79-63. Then Grazulis lessened the wounds from downtown to enter the last stanza with the Greens up 79-66.

Turnovers penalized Panathinaikos early in the fourth period and allowed Virtus to find some breath behind a three-pointer by Belinelli and a layup by Matthew Morgan that reduced the gap to 8 points, 79-71.  Nunn’s return to the court didn’t work at first, as Grazulis took advantage of an unsportsmanlike foul to make it even tighter, 81-75. But once Nunn his first triple in the quarter, all hell broke loose for the home team. Nunn added two more from downtown and Cedi Osman joined the party with another of his own to bring a double-digit lead back to Panathinaikos’s hands, 93-80, with 5 minutes to go. Yutseven followed with a couple of inside buckets and Osman nailed a three that set a three-digit score for the Greens, 100-83. Brown didn’t want to stop the party here, drilling two more that set a 20-point advantage, 106-86, that definitively sealed the outcome.

The hosts surpassed the 100-point barrier for the third time in a row at home

Fenerbahce Beko upped its aggression and intensity in the second half against Anadolu Efes to come away with an important derby win.

Second-half hustle proved key in Fenerbahce's derby win over Efes

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) made it two wins from two in this season's Istanbul derby by [downing Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84-76](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-efes-in-rivalry-series-matchup-84-76/) in Round 19's Rivalry Series clash, with coach [Saras Jasikevicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/jasikevicius-saras/)'s squad securing their 11th win of the campaign thanks to their great hustle after the break.

It was a back-and-forth first half in which Efes dominated the boards, as the guests outrebounded Fenerbahce 17-14 and only allowed its opponent to get 2 offensive boards. Fenerbahce came back with a different mentality after the interval, much more focused on rebounding well at both ends and preventing Efes from circulating the ball the way it did before the break.

It definitely paid off. Fenerbahce won the battle of the boards in the second half 24-17, grabbing 8 offensive rebounds and only allowing Efes to get 3 of those. Additionally, Fenerbahce finished the game with 19 assists and only 8 turnovers, remarkable numbers if you take into consideration that its three main ballhandlers are injured: [Arturs Zagars](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/arturs-zagars/008104/), [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) and [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/).

[Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/) and [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/) were at the forefront of everything on offense, combining for 28 points, 13 assists and just 2 turnovers. Their effectiveness both scoring and sharing the ball allowed Fenerbahce to keep a good offensive flow throughout the game. On the other hand, Efes was limited to just 3 second-half assists. The guests had the same amount of turnovers as the hosts, 9, but only had 10 assists.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">💛💙💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/0M3aL8TzDH">pic.twitter.com/0M3aL8TzDH</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1875281660234887658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce ended a three-game losing streak in which it allowed its opponents to score 90 points or more in all three of those defeats. This time, it limited Efes to just 76 points. The guests were only able to hit 2-of-12 three-pointers (16.7% 3FG) after the break, which was another big key to this game.

"This was exactly the game to win from the defensive standpoint," Coach Jasikevicius said afterward. "And I thought our intensity and our dedication to the defensive end was great for the whole game. They had 40 points at halftime and I believe they scored 16 in the third \[quarter\] if I am not mistaken, and in the fourth, we were also looking pretty good.

"Then we relaxed a little bit, but like I said, this is exactly how we need to win the games right now when we are a little bit lacking talent – on the defensive end – with rebounding and dedication."

Devon Hall and Marko Guduric both enjoyed big roles on the offensive end, too

Fenerbahce Beko started 2025 on the right foot by topping Anadolu Efes 84-76 in Round 19's Rivalry Series game on Friday. Saras Jasikevicius's men improved to 11-7 in the standings and have a 2-0 record against Efes, which dropped to 10-9. 

Fenerbahce downs Efes in Rivalry Series matchup, 84-76

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul started 2025 on the right foot by topping Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84-76 in Round 19's Rivalry Series game on Friday. Saras Jasikevicius's men improved to 11-7 in the standings and have a 2-0 record against Efes, which dropped to 10-9. 

Tarik Biberovic and Marko Guduric led the winners with 17 points apiece. Guduric also contributed 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Nigel Hayes-Davis had 12 points while Devon Hall got 11 for Fenerbahce. Elijah Bryant led Efes with 16 points. Shane Larkin added 15, and Jordan Nwora and Vincent Poirier each had 12.

Larkin got Efes going with a three-pointer off the dribble. Sertac Sanli hit a jumper in transition and Skylar Mays struck from downtown for a 5-3 Fenerbahce lead. Nwora answered from beyond the arc, Ercan Osmani dunked and Larkin's jumper gave Efes a 6-10 lead. Mays scored off a wild spin move which Sanli followed with a turnaround jumper that tied it at 10-10. Biberovic and Larkin traded triples before Sanli restored a 15-14 Fenerbahce lead. Hayes-Davis buried a jump hook, before Larkin downed a mid-range shot and Poirier's reverse layup provided another lead change, 17-18. Biberovic matched Bryant's driving layup with a jumper, then Hayes-Davis's three-point play put the hosts in charge, 22-20. Rolands Smits and Poirier helped Efes tie it at 24-24 after 10 minutes. 

Stanley Johnson took over with a layup-plus-foul and a jumper off the glass early in the second quarter. Guduric stepped up with a driving layup and Biberovic added a three-pointer for a 29-29 tie. Hall and Smits each struck from downtown for either side, before Dan Oturu's power layup gave Efes a 32-34 lead. Guduric buried one from beyond the arc, but Darius Thompson found his first points and Nwora added a driving layup that made Efes regain a 36-38 lead. Poirier shocked the crowd with a high-flying tip-in, then Guduric and Hayes-Davis helped Fenerbahce tie it at 40-40. Dyshawn Pierre beat the buzzer with a three-pointer that put the hosts in charge, 43-40, at halftime.

Nwora and Poirier each dunked soon after the break, giving Efes a 43-44 edge. Mays hit a mid-range jumper, which Hall followed with a three-pointer to boost Fenerbahce's lead to 48-44. Osmani stepped up with a layup-plus-foul before a red-hot Larkin restored a 48-52 Efes lead. Nicolo Melli and Hall made free throws and Biberovic buried a corner triple that ignited the crowd at 55-52. Hayes-Davis joined the three-point shootout, Bryant nailed a jumper off the dribble and Melli's layup restored a 60-54 Fenerbahce lead. Bryant and Guduric traded layups before Mays banked in a tough shot that fixed the score at 64-56 after 30 minutes.

Bryant buried back-to-back jumpers early in the fourth quarter, single-handedly bringing Efes within 65-60. Khem Birch and Hall drew fouls and made free throws to make it an eight-point game, 68-60, with 6 minutes left. Efes kept struggling to score and Guduric restored a double-digit Fenerbahce lead, 71-60. Nwora hit foul shots, but Biberovic buried a highly-contested triple that broke the game open, 74-62. Bryant followed a floater with a driving basket to give Efes hope, 76-66, with 2 minutes left. Guduric and Biberovic each struck from downtown to seal the outcome, 82-68, giving Fenerbahce fans plenty of time to celebrate a special win.

Marko Guduric had a fantastic all-around performance to lead the hosts to the win


Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 19

## Friday, December 27

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (18:45 CET)

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

"We are facing one of the teams that are in form right now. Efes is very organized as a team. They have clear roles, there’s a lot of decision-making by the guards with Larkin being at the center of everything and then a lot of dirty work; rebounding and setting screens by the bigs. Obviously, it is a team that has been playing together for a long time now and they know each other, especially the main guys. It’s again another important game for us and we would like to start the year on a good note."

**Tarık Biberovic,  Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward** 

"We are about to play a very important and challenging game in the EuroLeague. For a while, we haven't been able to display the level of performance we expect, and we have been falling short of the results we hoped for. Anadolu Efes is a very strong team. They have highly talented players in every position. We will especially try to be more aggressive on defense, and we will aim to reflect that performance in our offense as well. We want to enter the new year with a victory and start a new streak in the EuroLeague."

**Tomislav Mijatovic, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are getting ready for the innercity EuroLeague derby which we know it will be extremely physical and competitive game. We are looking forward to the challenge and with the full intensity and 40 minutes participation in all aspects of the game. We fully believe that we can bring joy to our fans and reach our goal which is to win the game."

**Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"Fenerbahce is obviously a very talented team and it is a derby game which always creates more intensity and competitiveness. The key to winning a game like this is to play with more aggressiveness and execute the details. If we do that I believe we have a great chance to win the game."

### Paris Basketball vs. FC Barcelona (20:15 CET)

**Jabari Parker, FC Barcelona forward**

"I think it’s gonna be a good game. I am confident going into it. I am expecting to have a real good game and help my team. As far as my energy goes, to start the game the right way. Paris is a hot team for sure, but we have to remember who we are. We have been doing it for a long time, we have some experience and we have to remember that."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:15 CET)

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

"Bologna is not the team like at the beginning of the season. With Coach Ivanovic, they have won many important games on the road and at home. Now they play more aggressive, especially on offense they use Clyburn and Cordinier more. Polonara is very active. We need to be careful, to be aggressive on defense and find fastbreak points."

**Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward**

"They have a new coach and I think that they are playing better, but we finished 2024 in a good mood. We played a lot of games and won all of them. So we are in a good spot and we need to keep playing the same way we were in the last couple of games."

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

"We face one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, which plays very well, especially at home. They prefer aggressive basketball and with Nunn, Sloukas, Grant and Brown, they have a lot of solutions in terms of points scored and assists."

**Alessandro Pajola, Virtus Segafredo Bologna** **guard**

"Tough game against a team full of talent and with many offensive solutions. In the last home games they have scored more than 100 points, also taking advantage of the boost of their fans. We will need attention and concentration in every possession."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

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

"First of all, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. The first game of this year awaits us and the second in this part of the EuroLeague. We trained both yesterday and today, we made an analysis. Maccabi is a very specific team, they changed some players compared to the previous game we played against them. Regardless of the fact that the final result of that game gives the impression that we won easily, it was extremely demanding, as it will be tomorrow. They have great quality in their team, they cultivate a specific way of basketball with Coach Katash, who has been there for the third year. We have to be ready for their zone pressing and change of defense. Of course, concentration during all 40 minutes is also necessary."

**Sterling Brown,** **Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"We should do what we normally do. We have to get the winning streak back. We need to play hard and get the win. We expect nothing less than a tough and demanding game."

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

"There will be many similarities to the game against Zalgiris, especially the two dominant scorers. A team that mainly plays simple things but executes them the way most top teams do, so it needs to start with our defense."

**Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"I think as a team it's good, to refresh, clear your mind, get some practice days in, to really go over things and try to correct some of the mistakes that you don't have the time to do when you have a lot of games in a row so, I think it’s important."

### Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"It would be great to get one more win in the EuroLeague, but first we have to play the game against an opponent like Bayern, which is playing very well, especially on offense, with several players scoring well, and which have had a sensational first half of the season. We had the chance to win in Germany until the last minute, even though we ended up losing by eight points. It was the first appearance in the EuroLeague of a new team. Now I think we are a little better defensively than we were there and, in that sense, we have to prove that we can defend as we have been doing lately, which I think is what is giving us the possibility of stringing together some victories. We are facing an opponent full of confidence, but I think we are in a good moment to face this challenge."

**Alberto Abalde, Real Madrid forward**

"We are doing well. Victories get you into a good dynamic and give everyone confidence to keep working. We have room for improvement, work to do and now we will try to be strong at home against Bayern, a very solid team that knows what they play and penalizes the opponent's mistakes a lot. We will need to play a consistent game, in line with what we want to be. We will have to do a good job because Bayern has been doing very well and we want another victory, although we know it is a difficult challenge."

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

"Real is one of the best teams in Europe year after year, and that hasn't changed. Especially away, this will be a real test for us. We need to take care of the ball on offense, and the rebounds will undoubtedly be a key factor."

## Thursday, January 2

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (19:00 CET)

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"We need to know that we are going to play against one of the best teams. A very deep roster, very good players, and a very refined system. They've been doing the same thing for a lot of years. Then we have to go and play, looking more at ourselves, how we can bounce back and what we can do to put together a very good performance. We need to focus only on playing the best possible performance, and the result of the game is a consequence of our performance."

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"We have to be serious for 40 minutes. We understand that everyone wanted to party those days and spend time with their families and their beloved ones, but we need to get in game mode. Zalgiris is a very good team. They play hard on defense; that’s why we must protect the ball. Still, if we stay focused and follow our game plan, we have chances to get the win."

**Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus center**

"It is going to be a tough game. We all know that Zalgiris is a very good team. And when they play in their home court in front of their fans, they play even better. They play hard on defense and we must match their energy in order to get the win."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (19:00 CET)

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

"We face an extremely athletic team with three guards excellent at creating play. Transition defense, containing their one on one plays, ball movement will be the keys in order to have the chance to win on a traditionally tough court."

### ALBA Berlin vs. AS Monaco (20:00 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

This will be the first game of the new year. We have to be serious. We have to focus on executing our game plan. And we want to improve in every game. This is a very important game for us. And in every game, we want to go on the court with the same concentration and we always look to win."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

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

"We play away from home, and every away game is difficult. Moreover, we are playing against Baskonia, which is an excellent team at home, it is very difficult to play with them. They have players with exceptional speed and confidence. If they find the right rhythm, they are hard to stop. That happened against Paris. Two or three players pushed the team to victory. That's why we have to stay focused for 40 minutes, not lose focus and follow the plan. To do everything possible to fight for victory."

**Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"We have a tough away game ahead of us, the key will be to play defense for 40 minutes and stop some of their key players. Howard got into a rhythm in the last few games, Moneke play his game and do lots of things for the team. We manage to stopp them pretty well in the first game, so somehow we should play this game according to that pattern.