Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 13 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season
Pregame quotes, Round 13: 'Partizan has the best coach in Europe'
Article
8 Minute de lecture
Tuesday, November 25
Dubai Basketball vs. Paris Basketball (17:00 CET)
Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach
Paris is playing with the highest pace in the EuroLeague. They are playing very fast basketball with a lot of running, a lot of passes, a lot of individual characteristics and quality. A lot of three-point shots, pushing for offensive rebounds. It is not too much that we don’t know how they play, we just need to answer with physicality and pace. Running back, never slow down. It is going to be full sprint for 40 minutes.
Davis Bertans, Dubai forward
The most important things is to get back on defense and don’t let them run. At the same time, we have to keep playing our basketball, force them to play our way. After the game we have a long break, so we have to leave everything out there on the court. We have to keep focus for all 40 minutes. If they have runs, stop them as quick as possible and try to get the momentum back if that happens.
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Virtus Bologna (18:45 CET)
Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach
"We want to continue with a good moment for us. Try to make it as long as possible. Bologna, a very well-coached team with a great guard play. Very clearly, everything is passing through the hands of [Luca] Vildoza, [Carsen] Edwards and [Matt] Morgan. A lot of surprise attacks by the penetrators and a good job on the boards by the big men."
Bonzie Colson, Fenerbahce forward
"It should be a fun atmosphere. Spent some time since we've played home games here. So we're excited about, you know, paying from the fans. Hopefully we can get the job done. It's not going to be an easy game at all. Bologna is very talented. So it's going to be a very good match. So we're excited about it. We just got to continue playing how we've been playing to continue this momentum."
Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach
"Tomorrow's game is very important because we are facing the reigning European champions. They are an excellent team because they are the best team in the EuroLeague defensively. They have many talented players in attack. So it will definitely be a tough game for us, but we came here to try and win it."
Derrick Alston Jr., Virtus forward
"Whenever you face the reigning champions, you know it's going to be a tough game, especially at home. However, I think it's important to stay focused on ourselves. We'll have to try to maintain the effort and intensity needed to be competitive throughout the entire 40 minutes.
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (19:00 CET)
Tomas Masiulis, Zalgiris head coach
"Baskonia wants to play very fast basketball. They’re a running team, so stopping their transition offense and three-pointers will be a challenge — they’ll fire off quick shots whenever they get the chance. Defensively they’re very athletic; everyone on the team is athletic and wants to play fast and physical. Dealing with that will be a big challenge. [Arnas Butkevicius won't play], but everything’s fine — we expect him to be ready after the FIBA window."
Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. Real Madrid (19:00 CET)
Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach
"This is another challenge for us, another EuroLeague game against a team that everybody recognizes worldwide. The brand name of Real Madrid in basketball has brought many titles. The team is built to go all the way, with a lot of experienced players - players who have competed in many Final Fours - as well as newcomers who bring talent and size. They are a sized team, one that likes to run in transition, attacks the boards, plays at a high pace, and has multiple ways to punish. We are expecting a battle."
Ish Wainright, Hapoel forward
"Most respect to Real Madrid for what they’ve been doing and what they’ve accomplished over the years. It’s going to be a dogfight from the start. They have a great coach and a strong roster from top to bottom. It’s going to be a real battle. I’m confident that our coach and the entire coaching staff will have us fully prepared."
Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach
"It’s a good time to go up against the best teams. Hapoel has shown that it is one of them with a series of excellent performances, an extremely high offensive level, and a very solid defensive level as well — enough to deserve its position in the standings. We’re aware that they have many players we’ll have to try to limit, and that Hapoel also has significant athleticism and a strong inside game, so we’ll need to play a very complete game to give ourselves a chance. But at the same time, I think the team is growing. Obviously, like every team during a season, we’ll have better and worse moments, but it’s clear that the trend is upward — sometimes not at the speed we’d love, but we’re trying to move in that direction."
Facundo Campazzo, Real Madrid guard
"We’re facing a tough game. Hapoel is a very good team with a lot of talent and a lot of offensive threats since they can score from many different spots. It’s a very demanding matchup, but a good test to improve our defense and raise our level in that part of the game. We need to improve our one-on-one defense, put all our energy into it, and play a generous team defense with attitude and selflessness. On offense, we need to share the ball well because Hapoel is an athletic team that you have to move around. I think that if we play smart and defend well, we’ll have more chances to earn another win."
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:15 CET)
Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach
"At this point I can’t say I feel very comfortable if we play the way we did in the first half against Dubai Basketball. If we play like we did in the second half — aggressively, with everyone involved and with our fans supporting us — then yes, you feel comfortable and you feel you’re playing well. But for that to happen, we all need to be ready from the start of the game, because you can’t always come back in the second half. This has nothing to do with playing at home or away — you must be aggressive throughout the whole game. Partizan Mozzart Bet lost badly in their previous game but, despite that loss, they are a very dangerous team with very good players, high-level offensive players like Sterling Brown, [Duane] Washington, Tyrique [Jones], [Nick] Calathes — they are dangerous every time. Above all, don’t forget that even though they’re in a difficult situation, they have the best coach in Europe, so he knows how to handle these situations. For us, what matters is to always be ready and to face every situation."
Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Panathinaikos forward
"We’re in very good momentum and we have to take advantage of it. We’re playing a very important game at home, to close out the schedule before the break. We really need this win and I think we’ll make it. We have our fans, we have confidence, and we’ll do whatever it takes to get the victory. I believe Partizan Mozzart Bet is an excellent team. Yes, they’ve had some losses — games they could have won. Some teams start the season like that, but it’s still very early. We’re playing against an excellent team, with a very good coach and very good players, and we respect the opponent 100%."
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach
"We have a game coming up against Panathinaikos, a team that maybe has the best roster in the EuroLeague. They are well-covered at every position, and we will have to play at the highest possible level if we want to be competitive in that game and potentially, achieve a positive result. We have great respect for our opponent, but we need to believe in ourselves, just as we always have."
Jabari Parker, Partizan forward
"We already faced them before the season started in Australia, so we know what to expect. We have to give everything we’ve got and bring the right energy. We’re more familiar with their game compared to some of the teams we played earlier, and I think that will help us going into this game."
Valencia Basket vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)
Braxton Key, Valencia forward
"Especially with the break coming up, when we’ll have a couple of days off to recover, I think we have to give 110% effort on both ends of the floor. Take care of the ball, get good shots. A good team is coming in; they have a pretty solid defense, they like to run in transition and play their style of basketball. Every game I’ve played in so far has been physical. We know what they’re capable of; we watched them today, so I think we’ll be well-prepared for tomorrow and we’ll come out with a lot of physical intensity and energy. I’m sure the fans will show up to help us stay motivated and ready, giving us that extra push. I still have a lot to learn. My teammates are helping me, the coaches are helping me, so I think it’s been going well. I’m just trying to get better every day, in every practice. Last week’s practices helped me adapt a lot faster – I was able to understand things, make mistakes, and learn how to improve. So I’m sticking with that. We have this important game tomorrow and then we’ve got a break, so I’ll use that break to get better too. But yeah, I think I’m adapting well. My teammates, the coaches, the staff… everyone has helped me a lot to settle in."
Xabi Lopez-Arostegui, Valencia guard
"It’s not going to be an easy game. We’re seeing that every EuroLeague game is very physical. Whether you play at home or on the road, they’re games that are always decided by just a few possessions – by the little details. Bayern is a team that’s going to demand the most from us. We have to try to be strong at home, which I think is an important factor in the EuroLeague. Clear our heads after Sunday’s game, learn whatever we can from it, and the rest is about a positive, ambitious mindset, just as we’ve been showing. And becoming strong at home again."
TJ Parker, Bayern assistant coach
"Valencia are having an excellent season so far with a distinct style. Controlling their tempo has to be on our minds for all 40 minutes."
Stefan Jovic, Bayern guard
"Alongside Paris, Valencia are the fastest team in the EuroLeague. They take a lot of threes and crash the offensive boards hard. One-on-one play is also their strength. We need to find our rhythm right away and defend at the highest level."
Wednesday, November 26
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv vs EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (18:00 CET)
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Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (19:30 CET)
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AS Monaco vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (19:30 CET)
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FC Barcelona vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:30 CET)
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