There are just a few hours left before this year’s first tip-off in the EuroLeague, with today’s schedule (9/24) featuring not only Olympiacos and Panathinaikos’ games against Baskonia and Paris, respectively, but also five other intriguing matchups.
Dubai BC – Real Madrid
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The action kicks off in Dubai with a rematch of the SuperCup semifinal. At 7:00 p.m., Real Madrid visits Dubai BC. The “Queen,” which finished third last year with a 24-14 record and was a finalist in the tournament, aims to build on Pedro Martínez’s first title. The team from the United Arab Emirates, which finished 11th with a 19-19 record, has bolstered its roster to fight until the end for a strong position in the playoff race. On the playing front, Ousman Garuba is out for Real, while Nick Smith is listed as doubtful. For the home team, the availability of Musa, Bacon, and Jaité are still up in the air. Abbas and Kamenias are also listed as questionable, a designation that in itself does not confirm an injury.
Hapoel Tel Aviv – Bayern Munich
Meanwhile, in Sofia, Hapoel Tel Aviv hosts Bayern Munich, with the two teams’ goals for this season differing vastly. Last season, Dimitris Itoudis’s team finished sixth with a 23-15 record, while the Bavarians finished 13th with a 17-21 record. With Vasilije Micic remaining at the helm of the offense, Hapoel aims to take the next step from the playoffs to the Final Four. On the other hand, Bayern is looking for more consistency on the road, following last year’s 5-14 record in away games. Tomer Ginat is out, Tyler Ennis remains injured, and Tamir Blatt is questionable.
Red Star – Zalgiris
A little later, at 9:00 p.m., Red Star hosts Zalgiris Kaunas, in a very intriguing matchup between two teams that are aiming this year not only to make the playoffs but also to secure the best possible seeding, building on their strong performance last season. As a reminder, Zalgiris finished 5th with a 23-15 record, ahead of the Serbs, who finished in 10th place with a 21-17 record. Nikola Jurišić is out of the lineup for the home team, while Sirvydis and Akobundu-Echiogu are out for the visitors.
Barcelona – Anadolu Efes
At 9:30 p.m., two teams looking to get back on track will face off. Barcelona, which finished ninth last season with a 21-17 record and features a radically revamped roster under Alexander Sekulic, will host Efes, which is looking to put its 19th-place finish and 12-26 record behind it. The Turks, with Laso remaining on the bench, are making a fresh start, led by Mike James and Dario Saric. In the season opener, the home team will be without Toshan Evwuomwan and Yoan Makoundou. For Efes, Isaiah Cordiniere and Giorgos Papagiannis are out.
Villeurbanne – Maccabi Tel Aviv
In the game that closes out the first day, Villeurbanne hosts Maccabi Tel Aviv. The French team begins its new era with Tony Parker on the bench, determined to turn things around after finishing last with an 8-30 record last season. On the other hand, Katás’s team, which finished 12th with an 18-20 record, is looking to return to the upper echelons of the league. The additions of Patty Mills and Jay Crowder bring experience to the French squad, while Maccabi has bolstered its front line with Daniel Theis. Matisse Dosou-Yovo is out for Villeurbanne. Gur Lavi is absent for Maccabi, while the latest update indicates that Jimmy Clark and Thais are available.
Here is the full schedule for Matchday 1:
Thursday, September 24
Dubai – Real Madrid (7:00 p.m.)
Hapoel Tel Aviv – Bayern Munich (7:00 p.m.)
Red Star – Zalgiris Kaunas (9:00 p.m.)
Panathinaikos – Paris (9:15 p.m.)
Barcelona – Anadolu Efes (9:30 p.m.)
Baskonia – Olympiacos (9:30 p.m.)
Villeurbanne – Maccabi Tel Aviv (9:45 p.m.)
Friday, September 25
Fenerbahçe – Virtus Bologna 8:45
p.m. Partizan – Armani Milan 9:45 p.m.
*photo source: KYPE
