The first episode of the EuroLeague & Friends podcast, featuring Milena Martin, Giulia Cicchine, Deniz Aksoy and Aleksandra Radivojevic, is out now.

EuroLeague & Friends episode 1: The MVP race and much more

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we’ve got good news – there is a new podcast for you to enjoy, ‘EuroLeague & Friends’.

A rotating cast featuring nine of the best female journalists in European basketball offer a fresh perspective on the latest goings on in the EuroLeague, with this first episode featuring [Milena Martin](https://www.instagram.com/milenagramm/?hl=en) from Spain, [Giulia Cicchine](https://www.instagram.com/lacicchine/?hl=en) from Italy, [Deniz Aksoy](https://www.instagram.com/denizzaksoy/?hl=en) from Turkiye, and [Aleksandra Radivojevic](https://www.instagram.com/amazing__alex/?hl=en) from Serbia.

Over the course of 25 minutes, they discuss the early candidates to win the EuroLeague MVP award, a couple of under-pressure teams, and why FC Barcelona needs to be looking for a new player, among many other topics. Make sure to check it out via the video link above!

Pre-game quotes hub: 'We haven't shown our best version yet'

Ahead of Round 6, 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 30

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (19:00 CEST)

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

“We are playing against the team that is first in the standings, with four wins and the best defense so far. That means we have to play very well offensively, to read their defense. On the other hand, we need to play well defensively. If they get into a rhythm, they can be very dangerous. That's why we have to control the rhythm of the game."

**Filip Petrusev, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade center**

"The loan to Crvena Zvezda was my wish. Now we have to work. I was with the team \[before\], played games, I just need to adapt to the systems and the coach. It will be difficult, especially since they play much better at home than on the road. We must play all 40 minutes with maximum concentration. I hope we can earn good result"

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:15 CEST)

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

So far we played four games on the road. Home court games are very very important, because there is a game you must win and you cannot underestimate any team. ASVEL lost in the last minute against Barcelona last week, they have a lot of scorers, they are experienced. We need to be ready to play an aggressive game. We only think about the next game, but after a two tough road games it is possible team relaxes a little bit. But with our fans, they will give us a motivation, so it will be important ou arena will be hot to motivate our players because ASVEL is a very dangerous team.

**Jerian Grant, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard**

We are excited to be back home in front of our fans .wE wnt to go out there and play a good game. For us, the defense will always gonna be the key. Because we have so many scorers, offense is not going to be a problem, so if lock in on defense we will be fine. We always play great team defense as a team, but when I go out there I always take matchups personally.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. AS Monaco (20:45 CEST)

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

"Monaco has kept its roster unchanged with Sasa Obradović on the bench, which is the most important. They’ve held onto their key players from last season while also adding several reinforcements. Over the past two years, their results have been outstanding, making it clear that we’re in for an extremely tough game. They’re solid across all positions, and we’ll need to perform at a high level if we want to win."

**Isaac Bonga, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade forward**

"I expect a tough game; they’re an exceptional team. They play at a very fast pace, so we’ll work hard to contain their fast breaks. We also have to stay focused on rebounding and keep our concentration for the full 40 minutes."

## Tuesday, October 29

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona (18:30 CEST)

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

"We are playing our next EuroLeague home game against a team that plays in high rhythm and high tempo so far this season. We are super excited to be back at our home court in front of our wonderful fans. And we hope that with their support for 40 minutes we have to, and we will present, our A-level game, both offensively and defensively because that is a requirement to play against FC Barcelona. We have to win the small battles and fight for every possession offensively and defensively and play one super organized game for 40 minutes in order to reach our goal which is to win the game.

**Jordan Nwora, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward**

"As known, FC Barcelona is at the top of the standings right now with four wins and one loss. They are playing good basketball and they have a lot of great weapons. We have a team that can get the job done. It's just about implementing our game plan, continuing to come together as a team and just getting the job done."

### ALBA Berlin vs. Paris Basketball (19:30 CEST)

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"Our opponents are very active and fast on defense, clearly structured and are playing with a lot of confidence right now. Paris has already put in some impressive performances in the EuroLeague. TJ Shorts stands out from this well-functioning team. He pulls the strings on the offense, creates for his teammates and is always able to score one-on-one. It will be a tough challenge to match the speed and intensity of the Parisians."

**Justin Bean, ALBA Berlin forward**

"This game against Paris is going to be all about effort and playing free. We can’t overthink the last games too much and need to move forward as a team. We all trust each other and believe in each other so I hope that we bring the energy for our fans and get a win against a very good team from Paris."

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (19:30 CEST)

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

"Maccabi is always a very difficult task, especially with their transition game and offensive rebounds. Saben Lee is someone we really have to take care of, and he is already scoring a lot at the EuroLeague level. For sure it is going to be a difficult task."

**Boban Marjanovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul center**

"It is basically a tough game. Every EuroLeague team is at their top level right now. We have two players from them, and they know how to bring players into the game. In basketball, there will not be any easy games. We will play like that in the Turkish League, too. We know that it is not going to be easy. We need to get ready. Obviously, we lost the last two home games. We just need to move forward."

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

"First of all, we are really excited to meet Wade \[Baldwin\] and Bonzie \[Colson\], me personally and I am sure a lot of people miss them, and we love them. Basketball-wise, it is going to be a very challenging week. We are going to face maybe two of the best 4-5 teams in the EuroLeague, with great roster. We miss some players and just got Rokas \[Jokubaitis\] back and everybody is familiar with the situation with Saben \[Lee\]. So it can't be perfect for us, but we try to keep our heads up and be ready to fight, even though probably everything is against us right now."

**Rokas Jokubaitis, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"I think \[Sarunas Jasikevicius and I\] will have the same amount of fans because Lithuanians love basketball, so they don't choose between Lithuanians. But in general, I think it will be a nice game to watch. And I hope there will be a lot of Lithuanians supporting me and also supporting us. It was really tough. This few games where we could have won, or the team would need my help, or I could need my help. So it was really tough to watch these games and sit on the sideline. But now that I'm back, I'm really happy. These two weeks were too long, now I'm very happy to be back. We all understand the situation. It's not a secret that we have many injuries and not being all together at the practices, but this is the situation that we have. And everybody needs to step forward. Each one of us, and me especially, so it's a good challenge. I'm waiting for it, and I cannot wait for this double week. Of course, \[Jasikevicius and I\] know each other really well and I'm always happy to play against him. And I hope we will have a good matchup. \[Saben Lee and I\] didn't practice together or played together, so it's a little bit tough, but he is a great talent as we saw in these games, so I'm looking forward to share the court with him. And I hope we will have good minutes together on the court."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Real Madrid (20:15 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"I would say that we are talking about a team that is in good shape right now. They certainly played yesterday afternoon and spent much less energy than we did. And they are a team, that should we take out their performance against Baskonia, where they lost but playing without Campazzo, they have certain characteristics... a team that plays with high intensity, scores a lot and of course is the best team to not allow two-pointers, thanks to Tavares and Ibaka. On the other hand, they allow some other things and we are called to strike there. And of course, we must focus on the next day, because we lost the game last night \[in the Greek League against Panathinaikos\], we did not perform well and we have to play again in one day. That's life, you have to be ready to react in the next game."

**Shaquielle McKissic, Olympiacos Piraeus guard**

"Real Madrid has a very good team, they have impressive players, just like we do, I hope it's a fun game to watch and the atmosphere matches the quality of the game."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"Olympiacos is a team that has always been very solid, a club with special greatness that is usually there in the final stages of the EuroLeague. Due to its roster, tradition, history, playing level and coach, Olympiacos will be one of the teams that will be up there at the end of the season, and they require all of our attention. Right now, they are trying to get used to new players, very important players who have to adjust to the team's dynamics and that takes time. In any case, Olympiacos is a huge opponent that always make things hard for everyone. No matter in which moment they are right now, they will finish the season in the upper part of the EuroLeague standings."

**Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Real Madrid guard**

"We have a very demanding week ahead of us. We travel to Greece to play a really tough game in front of a special atmosphere. Olympiacos comes off consecutive losses in the EuroLeague but has one of the best rosters in the competition. We expect them to be ready and motivated to play against us. It will be a good test for us, as we haven't shown our best version yet in road games. We hope to make the most out of a new opportunity to win on the road. We improved our defense and that was the key in our last wins, as a good defense allows us to run on offense, which is one of our strongest points. We have to keep working in the same direction."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CEST)

**Mario Fioretti, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan assistant coach**

"First order of merit for us is to produce a very aggressive game, on a traditionally difficult court. Defensively, getting back quickly and defending carefully in half court, especially against Howard, Luwawu-Cabarrot and Moneke will be essential. So far, Baskonia has had the second-best defense in the EuroLeague, and was able to defend intelligently and aggressively, taking away the opponent’s offensive flow. Against this kind of defense, we will have to play under control and use the passes correctly."

**Fabien Causeur, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan guard**

"It is a tough game for us, on the road and after a couple of EuroLeague losses. We are going to play on a difficult court that I know very well since I used to play there for four seasons. We need to stay focused for forty minutes. Baskonia is a tough team to beat on its home court and in front of their fans. Pablo Laso, I know him very well after spending five years playing for him in Madrid. They are very talented, with two great scorers like Markus Howard and Chima Moneke and some more guys who are doing really well, like Donta Hall, Ndiaye, Baldwin. It is a difficult game, but we have to stay together and try to come out with a win. I had some back problems that I'm solving, I returned to practice with the team, and I'm ready to help the team."

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. FC Bayern Munich (21:00 CEST)

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

"Bayern Munich is a team that has already shown, in their first matches of the season, their full potential and offensively makes them the most prolific attack in the entire EuroLeague. We will have the task of getting the match into a rhythm that suits us,  imposing concentration, physicality and fight to beat an opponent of such magnitude."

**Toko Shengelia, Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward**

"Right now Bayern is one of the toughest teams, they’re playing great, in every position. Offensively they are really dangerous and we have to put our attention on defense. We’ll share the ball and play as a team for 40 minutes. Hopefully the fans will help us and home court advantage is gonna be our advantage."

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

"We were significantly behind after the first quarter in both games in Athens and Belgrade; we simply need to start better, play 40 minutes of basketball. That’s the key to winning an away game in the EuroLeague."

**Andreas Obst, FC Bayern Munich guard**

"It’s always easy to say we have to get a ‘must-win,’ but in the EuroLeague, winning on the road is particularly challenging. Nonetheless, we want to bring something home, and we’ve shown in our home games that we can compete with any opponent."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 6 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pre-game quotes hub: 'I always take matchups personally'

Zalgiris Kaunas v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-10-30T18:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2024-10-29T19:15:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v Paris Basketball (2024-10-29T18:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-10-29T18:30:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v FC Barcelona (2024-10-29T17:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v AS Monaco (2024-10-30T19:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-10-30T19:15:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v FC Bayern Munich (2024-10-29T20:00:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-10-29T19:30:00.000Z)

Here you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 6

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### ALBA Berlin

ALBA is without Malte Delow, Jonas Mattiseck and Matt Thomas for its Round 6 game vs. Paris on Tuesday, the club has confirmed. Trevion Williams and Elias Rapieque are available.

Matt Thomas, who is yet to make an appearance this season, underwent knee surgery ahead of Round 2 and is still out.

Jonas Mattiseck, who has played in the first five rounds of the season, is unavailable in Round 6.

Malte Delow has not featured since the start of the season due to injury and remains out.

Trevion Williams missed Round 5, but he did play in the German League last weekend and is available for Round 6.

Elias Rapieque has not played since Round 2, but he did play in the German League over the weekend and is available for Round 6.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Efes is without Shane Larkin and Erkan Yilmaz for its Round 6 game against Barcelona on Tuesday, while Justus Hollatz is questionable, the club has confirmed.

[Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shane-larkin-out-for-3-4-weeks-with-ankle-sprain/) will miss the next 3-4 weeks after he sprained his right ankle in Round 5.

Justus Hollatz has not played since Round 1.

Erkan Yilmaz is out for Round 6.

### AS Monaco

Monaco has not yet sent an injury report for its Round 6 game at Partizan on Wednesday.

[Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-furkan-korkmaz-to-miss-3-4-weeks/) is not expected to play until late October/early November after an injury in Round 1.

[Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nick-calathes-out-3-4-weeks-with-knee-injury/) is sidelined until late October due to a knee injury he suffered before Round 1.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its Round 6 game vs. Milan on Tuesday.

Tadas Sedekerskis has not played since Round 3.

Sander Raieste is yet to appear this season due to injury.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Zvezda is without Milos Teodosic and Joel Bolomboy for its Round 6 game at Zalgiris on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

Milos Teodosic is sidelined with an ankle injury.

[Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/joel-bolomboy-hyperextends-knee-avoids-acl-tear/) hyperextended his knee in Crvena Zvezda's ABA League game at Buducnost and will undergo conservative treatment. He is out for 4-6 weeks.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Milan is without Shavon Shields, Fabien Causeur and David McCormack for its Round 6 game at Baskonia on Tuesday, although Josh Nebo is available once again, the club has confirmed. Head coach Ettore Messina will not be with the team due to sickness, so assistant coach Mario Fioretti will take charge.

[Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-olimpia-milano-to-be-reevaluated-in-two-weeks/) has been missing in action since Round 1 due to a groin injury, but he returned to action last weekend.

Shavon Shields is ruled out for Round 6 after suffering a groin injury in the Italian League last weekend. He is sidelined for two weeks.

Fabien Causeur was not available in Round 5 due to acute low back pain and he will also miss Round 6.

David McCormack, who was a late scratch in Round 5 due to a knee injury, is out in Round 6.

Ousmane Diop sprained his right ankle in Round 4 and is set to be out for three to four weeks.

### FC Barcelona

Barcelona is without Joel Parra and Nico Laprovittola for its Round 6 game at Efes on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

[Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) is ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

[Joel Parra](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/joel-parra-out-for-three-weeks-with-sprained-ankle/) is ruled out until late October due to a sprained right ankle.

### FC Bayern Munich

Bayern has not yet sent an injury report for its Round 6 game at Virtus on Tuesday.

Bayern has been without Vladimir Lucic (muscle bruise) in the last three rounds.

[Niels Giffey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/niels-giffey-suffers-dislocated-finger-out-for-weeks/) is out for 'the coming weeks' after undergoing surgery on a dislocated finger, the club confirmed on October 8.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Sertac Sanli is out with an injury for Fenerbahce's Round 6 game vs. Maccabi on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

[Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out with a long-term injury.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its Round 6 game at Panathinaikos on Wednesday.

Paris Lee missed Round 5 due to a sprained ankle.

Joffrey Lauvergne missed Round 5, too.

Melvin Ajinca returned to action, making his season debut in Round 5.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Maccabi is without Tamir Blatt and Wenyen Gabriel for its Round 6 game against Fenerbahce in Kaunas on Tuesday, the club has confirmed. Rokas Jokubaitis is available.

[Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-loses-rokas-jokubaitis-to-a-broken-thumb/) returned to action in the Israeli League last weekend after recovering from a broken thumb.

Wenyen Gabriel, who has not played this season, is recovering from a knee injury.

[Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tamir-blatt-sidelined-with-hamstring-tear/) is out until mid-November after suffering a hamstring injury in a domestic league game.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Olympiacos is without Keenan Evans for its Round 6 game against Real Madrid on Tuesday, but it will have Nikola Milutinov and Nigel Williams-Goss available, the club has confirmed.

Nikola Milutinov missed the first five rounds of the season, but he played in the Greek League the past two weekends and is available for Round 6.

Nigel Williams-Goss (injury) has not played since Round 2, but he is also available for Round 6.

[Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-star-keenan-evans-out-long-term-after-knee-surgery/) remains sidelined after undergoing knee surgery.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Panathinaikos has all its players available for its Round 6 game vs. ASVEL on Wednesday.

Ioannis Papapetrou and Konstantinos Mitoglou missed Round 5 due to gastroenteritis, and Marius Grigonis did not play in Round 5 after suffering a muscle spasm in his lower back. But all of them are available for Round 6.

So is Kostas Antetokounmpo (right thumb fracture) has not played through the first five rounds of the season, while Dimitris Moraitis has not been available so far with a shoulder problem.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its Round 6 game at ALBA on Tuesday.

Daulton Hommes has not played through the first five rounds of the season.

Leon Kratzer has not played the last three rounds.

Maodo Lo returned to action in Round 5.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Carlik Jones is doubtful for Partizan's Round 6 game vs. Monaco on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

Jones suffered an injury in Round 5 and did not play in domestic league action last weekend.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its Round 6 game at Olympiacos on Tuesday.

Usman Garuba has not played since Round 1.

[Andres Feliz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/andres-feliz-to-miss-time-with-plantar-fascia-injury/) is set for an extended spell on the sidelines with a plantar fascia injury.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Alessandro Pajola missed Round 5 due to an injury and is out for Virtus's Round 6 game vs. Bayern on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

Devontae Cacok is yet to play a game in the 2024-25 season and is out in Round 6.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Head coach Andrea Trinchieri and forward Matt Mitchell missed domestic league action over the weekend due to illness, but they are both available for Zalgiris's Round 6 game vs. Crvena Zvezda on Wednesday.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 6: Teodosic out, Jones doubtful

Olympiacos BC made quite the statement on Tuesday night by beating Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, and star forward Sasha Vezenkov is excited about what awaits the Reds as they continue to build more chemistry.

Olympiacos continues its process of turning a talented group into a team

Should [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) have lost at home against [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/), it would have been coach Georgios Bartzokas’s slowest start to a campaign in his eight seasons across two spells in charge of the Greek side. On Tuesday night, his players ensured that would not be the case.

The arrivals of several talented players over the summer allowed Olympiacos to put together a star-studded roster that may have raised expectations in Piraeus. Yet, it’s teams – and not individuals – who achieve wins and titles.

Olympiacos came into the Rivalry Series duel against Real Madrid following two straight road losses at Anadolu Efes Istanbul and FC Bayern Munich that saw the Reds drop to a 2-3 record.

“As we said after the two losses at Efes and Bayern, we are good players, we just need to become a good team,” [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who netted a game-high 23 points against Real Madrid, told EuroLeague TV. “Everybody has to sacrifice. Everybody has to put his body in the battle, and I think that this is what we did today.”

The process of turning a group of individuals into a team might be long and burdensome. Mistakes will be made and games will be lost on the way. After all, Olympiacos squandered double-digit leads at both Efes and Bayern before suffering a home loss in the domestic-league derby against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens last Sunday night.

But as [Shaq McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/) noted [after the 79-69 victory over Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-beats-real-madrid-79-69-in-rivalry-series-clash/), communication and making sure that everyone is on the same page could produce magic on the court.

“We had a long meeting after the derby game just about believing in each other and just about having fun,” McKissic, who paired his 15 points with 9 rebounds, said to EuroLeague TV. “We were encouraging each other, there were no down faces and you can contribute that to the win.”

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Indeed, Olympiacos looked focused on the court, especially when it came to protecting the boards. Coming into Tuesday’s clash, the Reds ranked 16th in total rebounds with just 31.0 per game. Meanwhile, Real Madrid recorded 26.0 defensive rebounds – the fourth-most in the EuroLeague. Yet, this time it was Olympiacos who dominated inside and outrebounded *Los Blancos* 43-31, allowing Real Madrid just 4 offensive rebounds compared to the 15 recorded by the hosts.

“We lost at the end, in the fourth quarter, probably because we lost the battle of the defensive rebounds,” Real Madrid head coach Chus Mateo said in the post-game press conference. “They got many more shots. On two-pointers, they took 41 shots and we only took 24.”

In the fourth quarters of the losses at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Efes and Bayern, Olympiacos was outscored 25-15, 26-19 and 25-19, respectively. After 30 minutes, the Reds trailed by one point at Fenerbahce and led by five and two, respectively, against Efes and Bayern. When the game heads into the closing quarter, chemistry will undoubtedly play a key role down the road.

To achieve cohesion, Olympiacos will need to turn its talented group of individuals into a team. And as Vezenkov pointed out after the clash against Real Madrid, this win is a solid step in the right direction.

Game News

Sed id volutpat purus, non fringilla turpis. Proin et dolor tortor. Maecenas ut aliquet arcu. Integer eu volutpat nisi, in luctus augue. Phasellus vel elit cursus, dignissim tortor in, pretium ante. Morbi varius at urna ultricies egestas. Suspendisse dui ligula, interdum non lectus eu, semper gravida nibh. Pellentesque bibendum lacus enim. Nulla aliquet, tortor at consectetur porttitor, est nisi hendrerit dolor, vitae ullamcorper diam arcu a arcu. Suspendisse eu vulputate sapien. Praesent ut elit nec nulla imperdiet placerat vel eu neque. Praesent porttitor felis non ante rutrum, sed tincidunt augue pulvinar. Morbi id urna in nunc dignissim luctus.

Led by Sasha Vezenkov, the Reds came together to defeat a perennial title contender in Real Madrid

Olympiacos BC made a statement in Round 6 of the EuroLeague season by beating Real Madrid, with the Greek side's defense proving key in the latter stages.

Olympiacos stifled Real Madrid, Campazzo to secure the victory

Coming into Tuesday’s [Rivalry Series clash against Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-beats-real-madrid-79-69-in-rivalry-series-clash/), Olympiacos Piraeus knew that it needed to bounce back. Questions had started to surround the Reds after back-to-back losses on the road at Anadolu Efes Istanbul and FC Bayern Munich in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, then even more so after a tough league defeat to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens at home on Sunday. It was time for a response.

Nevertheless, morale was not the highest in Piraeus as Olympiacos and Real Madrid took to the Peace and Friendship Stadium court, with *Los Blancos* seemingly in control of the game after 30 minutes. Real Madrid was leading 56-59 heading into the fourth quarter after scoring 25 points in the third, and Olympiacos hadn’t managed to contain [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), who registered 7 assists in the third period to maintain the visitors’ momentum.

Yet, the hosts hit the ground running in the fourth, with Alec Peters nailing a triple before five points from [Shaq McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/) allowed Olympiacos to go on an 8-0 run that put the Greek side back in front, 64-59. Olympiacos never looked back, despite Real Madrid’s efforts to turn the game around.

Game Videos

The Reds’ defense held the Spanish side to just 10 points in the fourth, limiting Campazzo to 0 assists and protecting the boards to clinch its third straight win on home soil. “Everybody knows that this game was not easy at all today,” coach Georgios Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV. “Against such a talented team you need to be solid defensively, but at the same time you need to execute with patience on offense. Otherwise, they hit in transition with open threes. They’re very talented.”

In yet another game in these opening rounds of the 2024-24 EuroLeague campaign, McKissic was the game changer and [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) performed the role of leader on the court. The former chipped in with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals. He scored 10 of those points in the last quarter, including a huge triple to make it 75-70 with 03:13 left on the clock. 

Meanwhile, Peters did a great job at the ‘4’, giving Vezenkov some rest in the second half. A fresh Vezenkov came off the bench with 02:38 remaining and netted 7 of his 23 points, including a dagger for a 75-67 cushion with 01:37 to go to practically seal it.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That win meant a LOT to <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Olympiacos_BC</a> 💪 <br><br> The team celebrate in front of a PACKED arena 🏟️ 🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/mulkM4SYGp">pic.twitter.com/mulkM4SYGp</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1851372169038585935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We lost two in a row in the EuroLeague,” Vezenkov said to EuroLeague TV. “We lost in the domestic league to Panathinaikos. It’s a good start and on Thursday we play against the first team in the rankings.”

Following its morale-boosting victory against Real Madrid, Olympiacos is set to host FC Barcelona on Thursday night. Joan Penarroya's side come to Piraeus on a five-game winning streak, but Olympiacos – which beat the *Azulgrana* in Game 5 of last year's playoffs to advance to the 2024 Final Four – has shown what it can do when it locks in on defense. Barcelona, be warned.

The Reds got back on track after a pair of losses in the last couple of weeks

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz remained perfect on home floor, edging EA7 Emporio Armani Milano 88-83 to register its fourth win in as many games on home floor this season. Khalifa Diop, Ousmane Ndiaye and Pavel Savkov played important roles in a win.

Young Baskonia trio did what they've been asked

[Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/games/bas/?season=2024-25) remained perfect at home, edging [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/games/mil/?season=2024-25) 88-83 to register its fourth win in as many home games this season.

The hero of the nigh was [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) who strung together 12 points in the final 5 minutes and 30 seconds of the game, outscoring the visitors 12-9 over that span and securing Baskonia's victory.

He finished with a game-high 22 points and earned praise from his coach Pablo Laso: "This is Trent's first year in Europe, and he has to read the situations where he has more space because they are defending other guys," Laso said.

Forrest's performance was that much more needed because [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) was held to 9 points, as stopping him was clearly Milan's focus.

"They did a great job on Markus, but he is always a threat and we take a lot of advantage of them trying to defend Markus", Laso said. "They are overplaying Markus like crazy. Perfect. That's what we want. You want to stop Markus Howard, very good. But I want Baskonia to win, I don't want Markus Howard to score 50 points and we lose."

And while Forrest was Baskonia's offensive spark, it was the team's youngsters who stepped up.

"We had a good team effort, everybody helped us win tonight," Forrest pointed out. "We had a lot of energy, and everybody came to play for us. I feel Ousmane and Khalifa both gave us good energy, especially in the second half."

The 22-year-old [Khalifa Diop](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/khalifa-diop/008072/) came up huge in the paint with 9 points and 11 rebounds, including 7 on the offensive end. The 20-year-old [Ousmane Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ousmane-ndiaye/012058/) just had 1 dunk, missing the other four shots from the field, but pulled down 5 rebounds, including 3 on the offensive glass.

"I am very happy because they are guys that have to help us", Laso said.

"[Pavel ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/pavel-savkov/010784/)\[[Savkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/pavel-savkov/010784/)\] played great", Laso said about the team's 22-year-old forward who missed all of his 4 shots in 10 minutes on the floor.

"He missed jumpers, so what!? Ousmane missed jumpers, so what!? They played with energy. They were able to defend, they were able to rebound, they were able to fight. This is something we are going to ask every night from them. If they make shots, great. But for me basketball is more than making shots. I am very happy with their performance, and in the team you need guys that are able to this job. And Pavel and Ousmane did a great job today," Laso concluded.

Khalifa Diop, Ousmane Ndiaye and Pavel Savkov played important roles in Baskonia's win

Young Baskonia trio did what was asked of them

FC Bayern Munich edged Virtus Segafredo Bologna 84-87, grabbing its first road win. Once again, Nick Weiler-Babb was all over the place. 


Nick Weiler-Babb remains Bayern's silent leader 

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/roster/mun/?season=2024-25) edged Virtus Segafredo Bologna [84-87](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/virtus-segafredo-bologna-fc-bayern-munich/E2024/54/) on Tuesday night for its first road win of the season. [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) was a major reason why. He was simply all over the place. 

In his fifth season with Bayern, Weiler-Babb is playing some of the best basketball of his career, helping Bayern in many different aspects of the game. Against Virtus, he finished the game with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and just 1 turnover. Weiler-Babb was coming off another great all-around performance [against Olympiacos Piraeus in Round 5](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fc-bayern-munich-olympiacos-piraeus/E2024/45/#boxscore) in which he tallied 10 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 1 turnover for a PIR of 20.

Weiler-Babb has been efficient all around, committing just 9 turnovers in over 156 minutes on the floor so far this season. His assist-to-turnover ratio (2.44) is one of the best in the league. In the last two games, Weiler-Babb boosted that ratio to 6 to 1.

Against Virtus Segafredo Bologna, FC Bayern Munich playmaker Nick Weiler-Babb finished the game with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and just one turnover.

Weiler-Babb does it all against Virtus

He stepped up at all times during the game, too. He had 3 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in a 0-13 run that gave Bayern a 25-30 lead midway through the second quarter. When Virtus tied it at 68-68 with over 7 minutes left, Weiler-Babb buried a critical jumper off a timeout. 

Virtus took an 82-79 lead with over a minute left and Weiler-Babb took matters into his own hands, burying a three-pointer from the left wing, grabbing a rebound at the other and finding Shabazz Napier to hit the go-ahead shot from downtown with 5.0 seconds remaining.

Napier had missed all of his six shots from beyond the arc until that moment but buried a highly-contested, step-back three-pointer that put Bayern in charge for good.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">END | 84-87 | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIRBAY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIRBAY</a> <br><br>Yes!!! There’s the first road win in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a>! 😤💪<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> (c) Nucci <a href="https://t.co/uF1AZqrIg4">pic.twitter.com/uF1AZqrIg4</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1851385584800964898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"When I missed my last three, I think it was like 1:30 left, I told myself that I was going to make a big shot. And I was fortunate enough to be in a position to do so, and my teammates believed in me," Napier said after the game. 

"So I'm definitely grateful that it went in, and obviously it was a tough shot. I'm excited for this team and what we can continue to accomplish. One of the biggest things to do in the EuroLeague is win on the road. If you can get a win on the road, it's big time for the standings. So for us today, that was our main focus and we accomplished that today."

Bayern is set to look for its fourth consecutive win on Friday, when it visits LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 7.

The 28-year-old guard came through when Bayern needed him

Nick Weiler-Babb was again Bayern's silent leader against Virtus

Devon Hall and Nigel Hayes-Davis were two of Fenerbahçe Beko's star performers as the Turkish side beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in Round 6 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Fenerbahce leaned on Devon Hall, Nigel Hayes-Davis to subdue Maccabi 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul was flirting with a third straight home loss in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague before a fourth-quarter surge allowed the competition’s 2017 champion to grind out [an 84-82 victory over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-edges-maccabi-84-82-after-fourth-quarter-comeback/) in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Saras Jasikevicius’s men rallied from 58-67 down heading into the final 10 minutes, having trailed by as many as 11 points in the third quarter before a dynamic trio saved the day for the Turkish outfit.

[Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/) was named player of the game after racking up 16 points and a career-high 9 assists, the bulk of which came in the second half of the contest. The former EA7 Emporio Armani Milan swingman paced Fenerbahce in the first half with 13 points and then facilitated in the second as he received more attention from Maccabi’s defenders.

“It’s a good win, especially as we came back from an 11-point deficit,” Hall said in a courtside post-game interview. “It feels good as this was a home-away-from home game for us. It was important to get the ball to [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) in the fourth quarter and he played really well.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Bizim Takım! 💛💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/kEzSk8dtgg">pic.twitter.com/kEzSk8dtgg</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1851363780464128251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hayes-Davis had a quiet first half and was stifled out through most of the third quarter too, but then poured 16 of his game-high 20 points in the last 13 minutes, with [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) also stepping up as he drained a pair of huge triples down the stretch.

“It’s really important to take care of those home wins as they all add up at the end of the season,” Hayes-Davis said. “We still have a lot to learn though as we are a new team and we’re still adjusting. I tried to be aggressive but I missed like five layups so I really need to go to the gym and work on some basics.”

Coach Jasikevicius was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief after his men turned the tide despite a patchy performance after last week’s tough home loss to reigning champion Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

“We dug deep and found a way to get some stops which put doubts into Maccabi heads,” the Lithuanian tactician stated. “We found a lineup which managed to up the pace and facilitate Tarik and Nigel, who had a huge second half. Devon had a huge game throughout; he was our best player in the first half and very solid in the second. “

Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash hailed his team’s fighting spirit. “We knew we were up against a lot of quality and we missed some shots in the fourth quarter,” he said. “We showed a lot of character and I feel sorry for the players.”

[Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rokas-jokubaitis/007519/) had an opportunity to force overtime on Maccabi’s last possession but lost his footing and committed a turnover which dashed the visiting team’s hopes of avoiding a third straight loss.

Still, the Lithuanian guard drew a lot of positives ahead of the upcoming blockbuster against Real Madrid. “We came here ready, we came up short and what we need to do now is focus on the next game against Real Madrid,” he said. “It wasn’t a bad game for us so we need to keep the same intensity and play with the same mentality.”

The Turkish side was able to turn the tide in the fourth quarter thanks to inspired performances from the two Americans

Bayern improved to 4-2 in the standings while Virtus dropped to 1-5. Carsen Edwards led the winners with 26 points. Shabazz Napier added 16, hitting the go-ahead triple with 5.0 seconds left, Nick Weiler-Babb had 14, Devin Booker 12 and Elias Harris 11 for Bayern. Toko Shengelia led Virtus with 21 points. Isaia Cordinier added 18, Matt Morgan 15 and Achille Polonara 13 for the hosts. 


Napier leads Bayern past Virtus, 84-87! 

FC Bayern Munich improved to 4-2 in the standings with a thrilling 84-87 road win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Tuesday at Unipol Arena. 

Carsen Edwards led the winners with 26 points. Shabazz Napier added 16 and 7 assists plus the go-ahead three-pointer with 5.0 seconds left. Nick Weiler-Babb scored 14 and grabbed 4 steals, Devin Booker netted 12 points and Elias Harris 11 for Bayern. 

For Virtus, which dropped to 1-5 on the season, Toko Shengelia led the way with 21 points, Isaia Cordinier scored 18 and dished 5 assists, Matt Morgan added 15 points and Achille Polonara 13.

Edwards got Bayern going with 4 quick points. Momo Diouf finished a four-chance Virtus offense with a three-point play. Shengelia and Morgan each struck from downtown in an 11-0 run highlighted by Cordinier's show-stopping dunk. Booker scored down low, Diouf hit a jumper and Will Clyburn's put-back slam prompted Bayern to call timeout at 15-6. Shengelia scored in penetration, Edwards followed a three-point play with a layup and Andreas Obst made a jumper to bring the visitors within 19-13. Cordinier stepped up for Virtus but Harris and Napier drew Bayern closer, 25-19, after 10 minutes.

Napier downed a jumper early in the second quarter and Oscar da Silva dunked after which Virtus called timeout at 25-23. Weiler-Babb hit a three-pointer and Napier buried a mid-range shot that Harris followed with a turnaround jumper to boost the margin to 25-30 after a 0-13 run. Virtus was held scoreless for 6 minutes until Shengelia hit free throws. Cordinier swished a fadeaway jumper that Weiler-Babb improved on with a bomb from downtown. Edwards banked in a running shot that Diouf matched with a put-back basket. Booker took over with back-to-back alley-oop dunks to boost Bayern's lead to 33-40 at halftime.

Cordinier and Weiler-Babb traded three-pointers right after the break. Morgan stepped up for Virtus and Shengelia's three-pointer got the crowd involved at 41-43. Edwards answered from beyond the arc and added a driving layup, Booker scored down low and fed Johannes Voigtmann for a layup that made it a double-digit game, 41-52, after a 0-9 run. Booker kept pushing Bayern and Edwards swished an eight-meter shot for a 44-57 Bayern margin. A unstoppable Edwards hit a jumper and a catch-and-shoot triple in transition but Morgan and Clyburn got Virtus closer, 51-62. Clyburn got help from Polonara to get the hosts within 60-68 after 30 minutes.

Polonara buried his second triple and added a backdoor layup to make it 65-68 early in the fourth quarter. Morgan swished a step-back triple and Bayern called timeout at 68-68. Weiler-Babb and Cordinier traded jumpers, then Shengelia's three-pointer completed Virtus's comeback, 73-70, with less than 6 minutes left. Booker dunked again and Napier gave Bayern a 73-75 edge. Cordinier scored in penetration and Polonara did even better with a layup-plus-foul. Edwards rescued Bayern with a driving layup and Napier added free throws to make it 78-79. Shengelia scored off a wild spin move and soon made free throws for an 82-79 Virtus lead with 1:13 left. Weiler-Babb struck from downtown and so did Napier for an 82-85 Bayern margin with 5.0 seconds remaining. Morgan and Harris traded free throws before Morgan missed a catch-and-shoot three-pointer in the game's final possession.

The Bayern playmaker made the game-winner with 5 seconds remaining