Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe Beko will go head to head on Thursday night in Istanbul's redeveloped Basketball Development Center.

Efes, Fenerbahce begin EuroLeague festivities in Istanbul’s Basketball Development Center

Fenerbahce Beko vs. Anadolu Efes. Anadolu Efes vs. Fenerbahce Beko. There’s little denying that this has been one of the most highly acclaimed Turkish Airlines EuroLeague classics in the modern era of the competition.

The upcoming edition of this encounter will be hosted by Efes at the newly constructed Basketball Development Center. A state-of-the-art jewel of an arena that was built where the legendary Abdi Ipekci Sports Hall previous stood in Istanbul.

It’s only fitting that the first-ever EuroLeague game to be played at the Basketball Development Center is a meeting between the competition’s two Turkish powerhouses – two perennial Final Four contenders.

Abdi Ipekci is synonymous with the history of Turkish hoops. It is the dream of Turkiye’s basketball authorities that this new gym will carry that legacy, expanding it and pushing it to new heights.

Read more [HERE](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/trademarks/1725680/efes-fenerbahce-begin-euroleague-festivities-in-istanbuls-basketball-development-center/).

The two teams meet at 19:30 CEST on Thursday night

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-10-10T17:30:00.000Z)

The Derby d’Italia between Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna is full of rich history, great battles and wonderful moments on the court. In ‘Rivalries: Italy’, the second episode from Euroleague Basketball Originals’ latest documentary series, dive into what makes this derby so special and hear from several key protagonists from down the years.

'Rivalries: Italy' lands on EuroLeague TV

The Derby d’Italia between [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/carousels/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/?q=%7B%22articleId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22categoryId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22linkedId%22%3A%7B%22sourceSystem%22%3A%22FS_BASKETBALL_TEAM%22%2C%22sourceSystemId%22%3A%22mil%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=EA7%20Emporio%20Armani%20Milan) and [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/carousels/virtus-segafredo-bologna/?q=%7B%22articleId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22categoryId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22linkedId%22%3A%7B%22sourceSystem%22%3A%22FS_BASKETBALL_TEAM%22%2C%22sourceSystemId%22%3A%22vir%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D&carouselTitle=Virtus%20Segafredo%20Bologna) is full of rich history, great battles and wonderful moments on the court. In ‘Rivalries: Italy’, the second episode from Euroleague Basketball Originals’ latest documentary series, dive into what makes this derby so special and hear from several key protagonists from down the years.

[Now available to watch on EuroLeague TV](https://www.euroleague.tv/video/698977), legendary coaches Dan Peterson and Ettore Messina, who have coached both Virtus and Milan, explain some key moments from their time on the sidelines of Italy’s two biggest clubs. Messina, still at Milan, won two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championships with Virtus in 1998 and 2001, and Peterson guided Milan to the EuroLeague trophy in 1987.

Watch 'Rivalries: Italy' for free on YouTube

Revered players such as Milan great Dino Meneghin and Virtus icons [Antoine Rigaudeau](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/antoine-rigaudeau/alh/) and [Manu Ginobili](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/emanuel-ginobili/akx/) reflect on what it was like to play in the Derby d’Italia, as well as some of their best memories from their time playing for the two storied clubs. Various key individuals from last year’s Derby d’Italia – including [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) and [Kyle Hines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-hines/002812/) from Milan, and [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/), [Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/) and [Iffe Lundberg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/) from Virtus – also provide their perspective on the importance of the Derby d’Italia in the year 2024.

The 'Rivalries' documentary series

The second episode of Euroleague Basketball Originals’ latest documentary series is out now

Even without Milos Teodosic, KK Crvena zvezda has started the 2024-25 EuroLeague season with consecutive wins.


Crvena Zvezda enjoys its best-ever EuroLeague start 

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate on Tuesday night. Not only did [their team beat Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 78-71](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zvezda-wins-home-opener-78-71/), improving to 2-0 in the process, but [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/), [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) and [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) all delivered in crunch time, combining for 46 points.

Zvezda started the season with lofty ambitions and a record-breaking budget, but also a major setback: superstar playmaker [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/) would be unavailable for the opening two games due to suspension. In the absence of the Serbian Point God, summer addition [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) delivered in both games, amassing 14 assists and committing just 3 turnovers to give Zvezda great balance on offense.

"Codi is a player that plays for his teammates, for the team," Zvezda head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos said after beating Baskonia. "When we need him to score, he scores. When we need him to organize, he gives assists. He also had a great game in France \[against Paris Basketball\], rebounding, too. He can play defense, score, pass, rebounds... we are very happy that we have him."

Codi Miller-Mcintyre had 14 assists and 3 turnovers in his opening two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games with Crvena Zvezda MeridianBet Belgrade.

Miller-McIntyre makes Zvezda work

In Round 1 against Paris, [Nemanja Nedovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nemanja-nedovic/000848/) was almost unstoppable, missing just one shot on his way to 21 points. Curiously, Zvezda went 10-of-22 three-pointers (45.5% 3FG) in both of its first two EuroLeague games this season. In what needs to be an almost impossible coincidence, Zvezda also went 19-of-37 two-pointers (51.4% 2FG) against both Paris and Zvezda. The same number of shots made and attempted, inside and outside the arc, in two different games. Crazy.

This is Zvezda's 11th season in the EuroLeague, yet it had never started 2-0 – until now. Its next opponent is Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, which means a return to Belgrade for center [Boban Marjanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/boban-marjanovic/lmg/), a legend for all Zvezda fans. Marjanovic earned 2014-15 All-EuroLeague First Team honors with Zvezda, and was the last player in the competition to average a double-double (16.6 ppg., 10.7 rpg.). Teodosic will be back in action as the schedule gets tougher: following the visit of Fenerbahce, Zvezda hosts FC Barcelona in Round 4 and travels to the Spanish capital to face Real Madrid in Round 5.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">First impressions after important home win in <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> R02 from Canaan 🔴⚪️<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://t.co/94PZlbcEND">pic.twitter.com/94PZlbcEND</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1844124539103609104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There is no denying that this has been a great start for Zvezda, which is aiming to make reach the EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time since 2016. Last season, Zvezda ranked 16th with an 11-23 record and it took the team six games to get its second victory. Center [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) believes the team is heading in the right direction, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

"There are a lot of areas we can improve," commented Bolomboy, who is averaging 10.5 points and a team-high 9.5 rebounds through the first two rounds. "There are a lot of things we can improve on, especially offensively. There were moments where it felt like we didn't really know what play to run. But we made a lot of improvements tonight and won the game."

Game News

Even without Milos Teodosic, Ioannis Sfairopoulos's men have started the EuroLeague season with back-to-back wins

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-10-09T18:00:00.000Z)

Mike James, Elie Okobo and Donatas Motiejunas, three players who have been at AS Monaco Basket over the last three seasons, all impressed as their team beat Maccabi Tel Aviv BC in Round 2 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

The usual suspects lifted Monaco over Maccabi

AS Monaco made several changes to its roster over the summer, bringing in a few new pieces destined for big roles, but it was the guys who have been the faces of this club for the last few years who did the job on Wednesday night.

In [an 85-79 win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-fights-to-edge-maccabi-85-79/), the top three scorers were [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) and [Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/), each pulling Monaco towards the win in different moments of the game.

James scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half, with Monaco trailing 23-33 before the reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP stepped up by sinking a triple, taking it to the rim, and serving teammates with assists. He also finished the night with 6 assists and 3 steals.

Motiejunas scored 9 of his 11 points in a key 10-2 third-quarter run that saw the team finally take a 53-52 lead.

And then there was Okobo, who was scoreless in the first half but scored 17 points in the second, including nine in the final quarter.

"The first half was terrible, was not that good energy-wise. I did not have a good first half at all," Okobo told EuroLeague TV afterward. "We talked about it in the locker room, we had to step up with our energy, and I think it showed in the second half."

Mike James spoke to the EuroLeague TV cameras after AS Monaco beat Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 85-79 in Round 3 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Mike James: 'It's a great way for us to start the season'

"I think it is a great way for us to start," James commented after Monaco improved to 2-0. "With me not being 100 percent, and \[[Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) and [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/furkan-korkmaz/005763/)\] being out, it is amazing we start with two wins. It buys us time to get healthy."

James continued by stating what he expects from the team: "We have to establish a baseline of how we want to play, and how we want to be as a team. The second half we picked it up a little bit and hopefully we can keep building on that."

Mike James, Elie Okobo and Donatas Motiejunas all shined in Round 2

AS Monaco v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-10-09T17:00:00.000Z)

Maccabi Tel Aviv BC has confirmed that Jordan Loyd has left the club, with his last game coming in the EuroLeague at AS Monaco Basket on Wednesday night.

Jordan Loyd departs Maccabi

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has confirmed that [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) has departed the club.

Loyd (1.93 meters, 31 years old) joined Maccabi this past summer and played two games for the club in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with his final appearance coming [on the road at AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-fights-to-edge-maccabi-85-79/) this Wednesday night.

"Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club and Jordan Loyd have agreed that the player will leave the team. Maccabi wishes Jordan success in the future," reads Maccabi's statement.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">מועדון הכדורסל מכבי תל אביב וג&#39;ורדן לויד סיכמו כי השחקן יעזוב את הקבוצה. מכבי מאחלת לג&#39;ורדן הצלחה בהמשך.<br>בתוך כך, הקבוצה תחזור מחר (חמישי) לישראל. הזרים שחוזרים לקראת המשחק מול נס ציונה ביום ראשון: רנדולף, הורד, יוקובאיטיס וקאבה <a href="https://t.co/a8Q6A1CBs8">pic.twitter.com/a8Q6A1CBs8</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1844127756717785374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After amassing 15 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 steal in Maccabi's opening-round win against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Loyd recorded 16 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist at Monaco in Round 2.

To date, Loyd has played 126 games in the EuroLeague and posted career averages of 13.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steal and a 12.9 PIR.

More Maccabi News

His final game for the club came against Monaco on Wednesday night

He stepped up at both ends to lead Zvezda past Baskonia


Bolomboy delivers in crunch time 

Crvena Zvezda MeridianBet Belgrade led for the majority of its Round 2 clash against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. However, Baskonia rallied after trailing 63-49 early in the fourth quarter. The game came down to details and Zvezda center [Joel Bolomboy ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/)played a decisive role at both ends to make sure his team remained undefeated on the season.

The big man had a strong first half with 6 points and 4 rebounds, but the best was yet to come. He provided a couple of highlights late in the third quarter - an off-balance layup and a two-handed alley-oop dunk that made Zvezda's huge crowd at Belgrade Arena jump up and down.

Crvena Zvezda MeridianBet Belgrade center Joel Bolomboy had 9 of his 15 points in the second half, adding game-highs of 8 rebounds and 2 blocks to amass a PIR of 17.

Bolomboy leads Zvezda past Baskonoa

Baskonia improved in the fourth quarter, getting within 66-62 with possession with over 3 minutes remaining. Then Bolomboy delivered at both ends. First he rejected  Donta Hall's dunk attempt and then he buried a corner jumper at the other end. On Zvezda's next play, Nikola Kalinic found Isaiah Canaan for a three-pointer that broke the game open, 71-62. Even though Baskonia never gave up, it didn't get within striking distance in crunch time.

Bolomboy had 9 of his 15 points in the second half, adding game-highs of 8 rebounds and 2 blocks to amass a PIR of 17. He made 7 of 11 two-pointers. At the end of the game, Bolomboy celebrated the win, but was aware that his team can be much better.

Game Videos

"We are happy with the win. I wouldn't say it was a perfect night, there is a lot of areas we can improve. Myself, I am glad I was able to play the way I know I can play. I feel like me, personally, these last couple of games, I have not been playing that way, so it was good to come out here and have the energy from my teammates tonight," Bolomboy said.

"Everyone played really well, both ends, offensive and defensively. We had a great crowd tonight and are really happy with the win, but it's a long season. There is a lot of things we can improve on, especially offensively. There were moments where it felt like we didn't really know what play to run. But we made a lot of improvements tonight and won the game."

This is Zvezda's 11th season in the competition and the first time it has won its first two games. In the upcoming double round, Zvezda visits Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, featuring former star Boban Marjnovic, on Tuesday and hosts FC Barcelona, Kalinic's former team, on Friday.

The big man stepped up at both ends to lead the Serbian side past Baskonia


Joel Bolomboy delivered for Crvena Zvezda in crunch time 

Crvena Zvezda MeridianBet Belgrade remained undefeated in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by downing Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 78-71 at Stark Arena in Round 2 on Tuesday. 


Zvezda wins home opener, 78-71! 

Crvena Zvezda MeridianBet Belgrade remained undefeated in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by downing Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 78-71 at Belgrade Arena in Round 2 on Wednesday. 

Isaiah Canaan paced the winners with 19 points. Joel Bolomboy added 15 points and 8 rebounds while Nikola Kalinic had 12 points for Zvezda. Chima Moneke led Baskonia with 19 points on 7-of-7 two-point shooting. Donta Hall added 13 points and 7 rebounds for the visitors. Zvezda improved to 2-0 in the standings while Baskonia dropped to 1-1.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot stepped up early for Baskonia with a steal and the game’s first 4 points, but it didn’t take long for Canaan to get going with a pair of three-pointers, which gave him 1,000 career points. The hosts remained hot and Belgrade Arena erupted when Kalinic drained a three and was fouled to make it 12-6. Codi Miller-McIntyre followed with a triple that prompted a Baskonia timeout. Mike Daum joined the three-point shootout before Joel Bolomboy threw in a shot to give Zvezda a double-digit lead, 20-10. Moneke’s show-and-go three-point play revived the visitors and Nikos Rogkavopoulos added a three to cap a 0-8 push. Yago Dos Santos connected on Zvezda’s sixth triple of the opening quarter before another tough bucket from Moneke made it 25-20 after 10 minutes. 

Nemanja Nedovic left his mark with a three and a dunk as Zvezda extended the lead back to 10. Kamar Baldwin heated up for Baskonia, but Nedovic scored again for the hosts. Markus Howard got on the board with a pair of free throws, however, he was soon on the bench with 3 fouls. In the meantime, Miller-McIntyre kept Zvezda cruising with a pull-up jumper, a steal, and a dish to Bolomboy for a 40-28 advantage. Zvezda cooled off in the final minutes of the quarter and Hall and Luwawu-Cabarrot trimmed the deficit to 42-34 at the break.

Moneke scored in transition soon after the break and then Kalinic answered from beyond the arc for a 45-36 Zvezda lead. After Baldwin found Hall for a one-handed slam, Canaan banked in an off-balance shot and added a three-point play that boosted the hosts' lead to 50-38. Hall and Bolomboy traded layups and Howard bettered Kalinic's fastbreak layup with a three-pointer. Bolomboy ignited the crowd with an alley-oop slam. Sedekerskis matched him with a tip-in and Moneke's dunk gave Baskonia hope at 56-49. Bolomboy banked in a jump hook and split free throws to give Zvezda a 59-49 lead through three quarters.

Mitrovic scored around the basket early in the fourth quarter and Dejan Davidovac added a dunk that seemed to break the game open, 63-49. Nedovic hit a close jumper to cap a 9-0 Zvezda run. Rogkavopoulos buried a three-pointer and Howard added a floater to bring Baskonia within single digits, 65-56, with less than 6 minutes left. Hall capped a 0-9 run from the free throw line, then Rokgavopoulos's tip-in made it 66-60. Hall finished a four-chance Baskonia offense with another tip-in. Bolomboy followed a big block on Hall with a corner jumoer, then Kalimic found Canaan for another bomb from downtown that sealed the outcome, 71-62, as Baskonia never recovered.

Isaiah Canaan and Joel Bolomboy led a balanced team effort for the winners

Crvena Zvezda downs Baskonia to win home opener, 78-71

Monaco fights to edge Maccabi, 85-79

AS Monaco edging visiting Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 85-79 in the Round 2 opener on Wednesday to improve to 2-0 after two home games. The loss dropped Maccabi to 1-1 on the young season. The visitors had control in the first half and led 23-33 in the second quarter, but the hosts halved that deficit before halftime. In the third quarter, a 19-6 spurt fueled by Donatas Motiejunas put Monaco up for good. 

Mike James led the winners with 17 points and 6 assists, while Elie Okobo scored all of his 17 points in the second half. Motiejunas scored 9 of his 11 points in a key third-quarter run and Georgios Papagiannis collected 10 points and 7 rebounds. Jordan Loyd paced Maccabi with 16 points and Jaylen Hoard had 13 points and 7 rebounds. Jasiel Rivero also scored 13, Levi Randolph had 10 and Tamir Blatt dished 10 assists in defeat.

Monaco's protagonists in the early going were Mam Jaiteh and Matthew Strazel, but Blatt dished 4 assists for, mostly, easy buckets for Maccabi, including a fastbreak dunk for Hoard and a 9-14 lead. James netted back-to-back triples and a pair of baskets inside from Georgios Papagiannis made it 19-15. But after that Monaco 10-1 run, Maccabi had a strong finish to the quarter with Rokas Jokubaitis sinking a pair of jumpers to give the visitors 21-23 lead after 10 minutes.

Roman Sorkin opened the second quarter with a three and Jokubaitis had a runner to make it 21-28. A transition three-pointer from Loyd opened a 23-33 margin with 6:39 left in the half. But then James started pulling all the Monaco strings: he sank a triple and then set up Jaiteh and Motiejunas for layups. Strazel and Blatt traded threes before two more baskets from James cut the deficit to 37-40. However, Loyd and Jokubaitis made sure the visitors kept a 41-46 lead at halftime.

Maccabi opened the second half with a big dunk from Hoard, but Motiejunas got Monaco going, scoring 9 points in a 10-2 run - including a corner triple - and giving Monaco a 53-52 lead. A jumper from Okobo and a triple from Blossomgame opened 60-54 advantage. Maccabi stopped the bleeding through Rivero from close range and John DiBartolomeo from long range, but Okobo's three-pointer made it 65-60 after three quarters.

A jumper from Okobo and a triple from Blossomgame gave the hosts their first double-digit lead of the night, 70-60, early in the fourth. Maccabi quickly halved the deficit behind Blatt, and got within 72-69 after Blatt fed Rivero for a layup. Okobo kept Monaco in front, but Loyd and Rivero kept getting Maccabi within 3 points, with Rivero making a shot-clock beating tip from 3 meters away. But Okobo's three put Monaco up 83-77 in the penultimate minute and the hosts prevailed for their second win of the season.

Guards Mike James and Elie Okobo combined for 34 points to pace the winners

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

Pre-game quotes hub: EuroLeague Round 2

The second week of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season is upon us, with two games on Wednesday, four on Thursday and three on Friday. Ahead of Round 2, we bring you the pre-game quotes from all the teams in one place. This page will be updated with the thoughts of the players and head coaches of all 18 teams.

## Wednesday, October 9

### AS Monaco vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (19:00 CEST)

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

"We are facing a quality team that has a lot of tools, on a difficult court. We want to continue to improve and hope to get a W in a challenging away gym."

**John DiBartolomeo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"The keys for us are obviously being defensively a challenge, slowing down their guards -- a lot of playmakers, a lot of guys who can make shots. That'll be the main focus for us defensively to be in the game."

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

"The key is to follow the game plan, be aggressive on defense, keep the flow on offense, and play together. We're stronger when we play together. We have a lot of great talent, a lot of great guys, so I think that's the key. Just play together, continue to play strong, and stay focused."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:00 CEST)

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

"We expect the big support of our fans. We are playing against a team that won in its opening game and comes here extra motivated. We have to follow our plan, defend against a good team, have different options in attack, read what they are trying to do and disrupt their game offensively. We have watched all of Baskonia's games, we know their strengths. We can play much better, but the most important thing is to win. Even when you're not playing your best, you have to win."

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

"It will be a tough game. Baskonia is a good team, which plays a lot in transition, more or less like every Spanish team. We need to pay attention to defensive transition and defense, they score a lot of points -- I think that will be the key."

## Thursday, October 10

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (19:30 CEST)

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

"Very exciting time for our team because we are opening up our first home game in the EuroLeague this season in our new arena. So of course, it's a very exciting and very good time for us. Of course, we have a very difficult inner-city rival, a very well-coached team, and we have to do absolutely everything defensively and offensively on the highest possible level in order to reach our goal, which is to win the game."

**Rodrigue Beaubois, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"Thursday is our first home game in the EuroLeague in our new arena. Games against Fenerbahce Beko are always exciting and competitive. It will definitely be a tough game, but we want to use the energy of our home crowd to go get that first win at home."

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

"It is a very difficult road game. Anadolu Efes started the season excellently, and it is always difficult to play on the road. We have to understand what we did not do well in the Turkish Super Cup and try to correct it. We need to understand that there will be difficult moments during the game that we have to really stay together as a team."

**Bonzie Colson, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward**

"It is going to be a great game, a great atmosphere. We are excited -- obviously it is a rivalry between two teams in Istanbul. We need to continue our momentum that we had in the Olympiacos game and try to continue to get better."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:00 CEST)

**Luca Banchi, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

“This first road game against ASVEL will force us to provide a careful and aggressive performance to curb their exuberance, amplified by the fact that we are playing our home debut, aware that we came close to winning against an accredited team like Maccabi. We arrive at this match determined to give a further sign of our progress, with the desire to put forth all the spirit it takes to achieve success against an opponent of this level.”

**Ante Zizic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna center**

“It will be the first EuroLeague game at ASVEL's home and that's why they will be pumped up. They come from a good game against Maccabi that was decided only in the final minutes and from the win with Monaco in the domestic league. From our side, it will take focus for 40 minutes. We want to play a serious game.”

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:15 CEST)

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

"Bayern showed their potential. I believe they have a vey good roster with very experienced players, like Voigtmann, Napier at point guard, Obst a great shooter, Lucic, Booker, Nick Weiler-Babb, Edwards. They have 10-11 very experienced players for the EuroLeague and they showed they have power to beat Real Madrid. It will be a tough game, our first in our new \[renovated\] arena, which is now very close to be the best arena in Europe. It just needs little bit more luxury in our locker room, then I will say it is the best arena in Europe.

"I am not satisfied with how we played so far this season. I hope with home-court advantage and big motivation in front of our fans, that we start to understand that the new EuroLeague has started, with new goals. Last season is finished, everybody is proud for the last year, but now the goal is the new season and we need the same motivation."

**Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward**

"They are a great team. In the EuroLeague, every team can beat anyone. We got to get ready. We are here for a battle, we are not here for a party. The fans will surely enjoy, but we have to win first. We did what we did, it was great, it was one of the best seasons ever. We know that, but we want more. We are here for more, and we are working really hard to get more. Our mind is not just to be in the Final Four, but to win back-to-back. There will be ups and downs, we have to be strong when down and not be too excited when we are up. That is the only mentality."

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

"They had a great last year. Coach Ataman has done an outstanding job. They have an extremely talented team, playing really good basketball. This is a huge challenge, but as always, also an opportunity for us. Above all, we have to take away their second-chance opportunities and force them into a half-court game. They are extremely talented if they get fast-break points and get on the offensive glass, so we've got to neutralize that."

**Danko Brankovic, FC Bayern Munich center**

"It's going to be really tough because the atmosphere there is as good as anywhere else in the EuroLeague and they have a really good team. They also had a strong offseason after keeping many excellent players. Nevertheless, we are going there to win and not just to play against them."

### Real Madrid vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:45 CEST)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

“Any game in the EuroLeague is difficult and tomorrow we will try to improve on what we have shown so far because, by improving, we will have a chance to win. Everything happens by doing a good job on defense, by being able to make good choices on offense, to read the game well; in short, to play good basketball because when you play well, you are always more likely to win than when you play badly.

“Partizan is a physical team with very good one-on-one players on the perimeter and players known all over the world. It has a lot of pick-and-roll generators like Ntilikina, Carlik Jones, Sterling Brown, Lundberg and Marinkovic and, in addition, it has a very good inside game with Brandon Davis and Tyrique Jones. Partizan has built a good team, a physical and one-on-one team capable of overflowing and generating advantages. I think tomorrow we have to stop Partizan from doing a lot of things. We will have to be very attentive to our defensive balance and try to prevent them from generating too many advantages from the pick and roll. We have to be more solid in rebounding and also watch their low-post game."

**Gaby Deck, Real Madrid forward**

“Tomorrow we have a tough game, like every EuroLeague game. We are happy to play at home and we hope to do our best to try to get the win. Partizan has a great coach and a great roster, but we have to focus on ourselves and try to do our things well. We have to keep improving our collective game, our play as a team because this year we have had a lot of changes on the roster. We have to find ourselves, maintain a good dynamic and continue to improve."

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

"We know how good Real Madrid is, and we are aware of both their qualities and ours. We have prepared for this game and want to play the best game we can at this moment. We have spoken with the players and had three good training sessions in preparation for the game. We will try to play the way we did in the last \[ABA League\] game, as well as one in Vitoria where we lost. We will need more focus, which we lacked in the match against Baskonia."

**Iffe Lundberg, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"I expect a very good game. First and foremost, it will be a high-intensity match. Both teams are very competitive, and we’re both coming off tough losses in the EuroLeague. So, we need to get on the court and fight."

Time to get rid of the MVP? Sasha Vezenkov debate | EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast 2024-25

## Friday, October 11

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:15 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach** 

“Zalgiris played very well against Barcelona, with great aggression on both sides and especially on defense. They had nine steals of the ball that ended up in transition. They put their hands on the ball, generally attacking the ball a lot, protecting their basket. They also have some top-level defensive players at the '4' and '5' and on the perimeter. So, what we have to do is to match their aggressiveness and their physicality. It's going to be a tough game. We have some problems… Petrusev did not feel well and did not practice today, but we hope that he will be fine tomorrow. On the other hand, McKissic is back. You ask me when what I have in mind for the team will start to show on the floor. The truth is that I can't put a time frame on it because first of all, it has to do with when our injured players will return. Right now, our practices are very intense but they can't be long. Yesterday was Fall's first training session. So far, we have only had two big men at practice. So, it has to do with that. When the whole team will practice together. Hopefully in the next few days Milutinov will come in and the competition will increase. The duration of training will increase and inevitably the duration of good performance in games will increase."

**Moses Wright, Olympiacos Piraeus center** 

“As Coach says, it's important to play hard with physicality and be focused on defense. Zalgiris is a very good team. We analyzed the game plan and we are ready to follow it in order to get our first Euroleague win. Comparing to our first game against Fenerbahce tomorrow, we must do better on rebounding. If we do that and we play good defense, we can get the result we want."

### FC Barcelona vs. ALBA Berlin (20:30 CEST)

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"Like in the first game against Panathinaikos, we want to compete as best as we can on Friday. Our goal against Barcelona is to give our best, develop as a team and, above all, improve on the defensive end."

**Jonas Mattisseck, ALBA Berlin guard**

"We have to pick up where we left off in the first game against Panathinaikos. The task of facing Barcelona on the road is of course no easier. We want to get back into our rhythm and play with a lot of energy again."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Paris Basketball (20:30 CEST)

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

"We face a team that has had an impressive growth in recent years, as a club and from a basketball standpoint, reaching deservedly the right to compete in the EuroLeague while maintaining a very specific style of play, made up of aggressiveness and speed. We want to start well in front of our fans, trying to play with the physical and mental toughness as well as the discipline necessary in any EuroLeague game, like we understood well in the first half at Monaco. The team has been preparing scrupulously since day one and will continue to develop, even if every now and then we are aware that there will be difficulties to overcome all together, both on and off the court."

**Armoni Brooks, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan guard**

"For us, it is important to play possession after possession, both ends of the floor, approach the game with strength and make sure we are always on the same page. For me, personally, it is an adjustment period: this league is tough and highly competitive. The difference is that at any possession there are multiple actions so defensively you need to stay alert all the time and offensively you are much more involves every time out."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 2 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season

Pre-game quotes hub: 'We want to start well in front of our fans'

FC Barcelona v ALBA Berlin (2024-10-11T18:30:00.000Z)

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Paris Basketball (2024-10-11T18:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-10-11T18:15:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-10-10T18:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v FC Bayern Munich (2024-10-10T18:15:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2024-10-10T18:00:00.000Z)