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Pregame quotes, Round 2: 'Belgrade has always been a second home to me'

Pregame quotes, Round 2: 'Belgrade has always been a second home to me'

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Euroleague.net Staff

Pregame quotes, Round 2: 'Belgrade has always been a second home to me'

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 2 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Thursday, October 2

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CEST)

Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach

"We decided to cancel today’s practice, considering that, given the demanding schedule, this was the best solution. Ahead of us is a game against Olimpia Milano, a team that played an outstanding game against Crvena Zvezda and had previously shown excellent form in the Italian Super Cup. Nevertheless, the focus must remain on us. I was surprised by the way we played against Dubai, bearing in mind that throughout the entire preparation period we played with much greater aggressiveness and had three very good practices before the trip. These are things we must change and pay close attention to, in order to prepare in the best possible way for the upcoming game against Milan."

Arijan Lakic, Partizan forward

"We need to realize the season’s already underway and be more locked in tomorrow, especially since Milan got a win yesterday. The key now is to get some rest, prepare the right way, and be ready for what’s going to be a tough game. We’ve got to keep looking forward, but with our focus fully on Milan. We need to recognize what adjustments have to be made and show improvement, and hopefully we’ll prove that tomorrow. Playing at home in front of our crowd means a lot, and we’re excited for that."

Ettore Messina, Milan head coach

"We played well during the Super Cup weekend and again against Red Star, but the next one will be our fourth game in six days, and we'll need to control the minutes, the fastbreak that they are able to execute because of their powerful and athletic guards and work really well under the boards. The other key will be our ability of attacking their defensive switches they use a lot. We'll need to take a step up in this regard. It is going to be a very difficult game that we approach with the confidence we built over the past weeks."

Zach LeDay, Milan forward

"We're a brand-new team and we need to take it day by day. Belgrade has always been a second home to me; the atmosphere is always special. We have a lot of talent and depth in the squad, but we just need to focus on improving every day, including tomorrow."

FC Bayern Munich vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CEST)

Gordie Herbert, Bayern head coach

"We need to increase our intensity in defense there were a lot of good things, for example the offensive rebound. And we didn't make open shots, which isn't bad, that's part of the game. But we couldn't stop Pana's very good individual players in defense, so we have to find a way as a team against Red Star."

Justinian Jessup, Bayern guard

"I hope we can improve and win our first home game. And I'm really looking forward to the fans at SAP Garden, it's going to be great."

Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda head coach

"After Tuesday's game, we are playing the second game of the double round against Bayern Munich. First of all, we are playing against a quality team that brought some new players who are now in good momentum. On the other hand, we have some players who will be out, but that should not be a reason for us not to fight as best as we can; we have to improve our game compared to yesterday's performance: to be better defensively, and offensively to make smarter decisions in some moments compared to Tuesday's game. I expect the players to be ready and we will fight for the best possible result."

Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda forward

"We are still in a transition period and we don't look like we should. But, honestly, I don't think this is the period when we should be at our peak. That's not very convenient. The fact is that patience is not a favorite word for our star players, but we need it. And, we are here and we will do everything we can to fit in as soon as possible and hopefully look better. Bayern is 48 hours later and we are going there with a changed lineup. The concept of our team has been completely disrupted, but we have no choice but to fight."

Real Madrid vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CEST)

Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach

"We are very early in the season, so the normal parameters that, for example, may exist in the playoffs will be different, but the quality, the value, especially the fact that Olympiacos has quite a few players who have been playing together for many years with the same coach, is very noticeable in the quality of the game and is there. Of course, they also have room for improvement, injuries, etc., but they are a great team that plays with memory, with great, great players, with [Evan] Fournier and [Sasha] Vezenkov above the rest. It's a very deep and, above all, very experienced roster. So I think the memory of Olympiacos is present and also alive in everyone's minds, especially in the players who were here last year, so we will try to show an increasingly better version of our team, even though it is, of course, against one of the biggest opponents you can find in this EuroLeague."

David Kramer, Real Madrid forward

"We are looking forward to playing in front of our fans against one of the toughest opponents we could face. Olympiacos is a great opponent, one of the best teams in Europe over the last two seasons, and for that reason, to win tomorrow's game, we will have to give our all and be very focused on the game. In this competition, every game is important, but home games are even more so, and tomorrow we will try to be strong on our court. We are in the process of adapting, as there are many new players. We have to be patient, trust ourselves, and trust the work we do every day."

Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach

"We know our capabilities, but we also know what Real Madrid are. They are an experienced team, full of talent, and now they are developing a new playing philosophy after the departure of Coach Mateo. It may take them some time to reach the level they want, but they remain extremely high-quality and know how to win. Of course, we expect a very demanding game, and we must be fully focused in order to claim the victory."

Tyson Ward, Olympiacos forward

"It’s very important that we started the season with a win. There are things we can improve as we go, but at this level you have to take whatever you can. Against Real Madrid, we’ll definitely need to be more focused and play tougher. Everyone knows how good a team Real are. But if we execute the game plan properly, we can succeed."

Friday, October 3

Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (19:00 CEST)

Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach

"Very excited to go back home, very excited to be playing in front of the Zalgiris crowd. Zalgiris had a fantastic game, going to Monaco and beating last year’s finalist speaks for itself. They have very solid guard play with the three veteran guards from the EuroLeague who control the rhythm amazingly. And very clear roles of the other ones, understanding what they are doing and how they can contribute to the team's success."

Devon Hall, Fenerbahce guard

"It will be a tough game. Obviously they have a difficult environment to play in. They also got a great win in Round 1. So, we need to focus on our game plan and try to play a solid game."

AS Monaco vs. Dubai Basketball (19:30 CEST)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv (19:30 CEST)

Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach

"We’re playing against a team with a lot of experience – a club that’s been to many Final Fours, won the EuroLeague, and built another great team this year under a great coach. Obviously, it’s something new for us - the back-to-back and the double-week game. We're really getting into the real thing, and we’re looking forward to this game."

Ish Wainright, Hapoel forward

"Efes is an amazing team with a lot of great players and a rich history from everything I’ve seen and heard over the years. They share the same goals as we do and have a chip on their shoulder as well. Our staff will put us in a great position to win. We just need to stay locked in and minimize our mistakes. Much respect to them, but it’s going to be a dogfight from start to finish."

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:00 CEST)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. FC Barcelona (20:15 CEST)

Valencia Basket vs. Virtus Bologna (20:30 CEST)

Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach

"Valencia is one of the best teams in transition and one-on-one play, as well as fast-paced action and solid offensive rebounding. They have many good players in one-on-one situations and have a high level of offensive intensity that is difficult for defenses to manage. Our goal will be to stop them in transition: our approach to defense will be crucial in containing them."

Matt Morgan, Virtus guard

"I think the first match against Real Madrid was a great test for us, but there are still many things to work on and to improve. The match ahead of us will be tough and intense, and it will take a lot of energy: let's play as a team and give it our all for 40 minutes, and we'll see what happens."