The two teams face off at Stark Arena in the first game of the new EuroLeague season on Thursday.
Pre-game quotes: Crvena Zvezda vs. LDLC ASVEL
Seasons
3 Minuto di lettura
The season's opening tipoff will see Zvezda host ASVEL in the Serbian capital. The hosts flirted with the playoffs last season but fell just short, finishing in 10th position with a 17-17 record. Over the summer, experienced head coach Dusko Ivanovic added proven talent such as Milos Teodosic, Adam Hanga and Joel Bolomboy in an attempt to get even stronger. ASVEL has finished in the bottom two of the standings in each of the last two campaigns, and long-serving head coach TJ Parker will hope to change that dynamic in the 2023-24 season. The team has made some new additions as it looks to do just that, with new recruits Paris Lee, Frank Jackson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot complementing returning veterans like Nando De Colo and Joffrey Lauvergne.
Dusko Ivanovic, Zvezda head coach
"In our first preseason game, their main players De Colo and [Joffrey] Lauvergne did not play. Now, everything revolves around that; they are two different teams, with and without them. This is perhaps the most dangerous and difficult game for us because it is the first, everyone expects us to win. The players have support and the crowd will give them more energy. We need to prepare ourselves so we don't burn out. We are experienced enough to be able to play concentrated for 40 minutes."
Nemanja Nedovic, Zvezda guard
"Our first game in new EuroLeague season will be vs. ASVEL, a team that's team athletically very powerful and has experienced players at the EuroLeague level. Their game is based on De Colo and Lauvergne, and that's where we face the greatest danger. We worked well during the week and we will be ready. In this first-game return to Stark Arena after two seasons, no euphoria is allowed to affect us. We know that it can easily go in the wrong direction. Full focus on the court, and we'll see."
T.J. Parker, ASVEL head caoch
"We're going to have to put on a better show than we did two days ago in the French League. We've taken a slap in the face, and it's up to us to make the effort to lift our heads. I really expect a reaction from us. We know how tough Crvena Zvezda is and the atmosphere that reigns there. Playing Zvezda in Belgrade, there's no better way to react and see if we have heart."
Nando De Colo, ASVEL guard
"In the EuroLeague, there's no ideal place to start a season. This will put us straight into the swing of things and teach us a lot about the rest of the season. Zvezda is one of the teams that has strengthened the most over the summer, and has big goals in mind. I'm not at all proud of having finished last in the ranking last season, so it's up to us to create the right team chemistry to build something great this season."