Valencia Basket marked its return to the EuroLeague after a one-year hiatus with a 77-80 win away at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Wednesday night. In a tight, back-and-forth clash, the two teams exchanged leads throughout the game. Valencia sealed the outcome in the closing stages after its defense managed to hold ASVEL to just 2 points in the last two and a half minutes.

Valencia celebrates EuroLeague return with narrow 77-80 win at ASVEL

Valencia Basket marked its return to the EuroLeague after a one-year hiatus with a 77-80 win away at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Wednesday night. In a tight, back-and-forth clash, the two teams exchanged leads throughout the game. Valencia sealed the outcome in the closing stages after its defense managed to hold ASVEL to just 2 points in the last two and a half minutes.

Darius Thompson paced the Spanish side with 15 points, with Matt Costello scoring 13 and grabbing 10 rebounds. Omari Moore also recorded a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists, which he paired with 8 rebounds in a complete outing. Nate Reuvers also registered double digits in scoring by netting 13, 9 of which came in the first quarter. Nando De Colo led all scorers with 17 points, Glynn Watson bagged 14 and Bastien Vautier added 12 for the hosts.

Game Videos

ASVEL started strong, with Shaquille Harrison giving the hosts an early 6-1 lead. But Sergio De Larrea and Reuvers took over on the other end, with the latter drilling two three-pointers for a 6-10 lead. Back-to-back triples from Zac Seljaas allowed ASVEL to regain the lead, but Ike Iroegbu replied with a four-point play off the bench and Reuvers took his tally to 9 points for an 18-19 edge after 10 minutes.

An exchange of blows from inside saw Valencia maintain a 22-23 lead after Costello’s slam off the pick-n-roll early in the second quarter. Valencia summer signing Moore opened his EuroLeague account with two straight threes before an off-balance triple by Nate Sestina made it 24-32. ASVEL responded with an 11-2 spurt fueled by big man Vautier and Watson, whose jumper put the hosts ahead, 35-34, at halftime.

Game News

De Colo and Moore exchanged triples to open the second half before two consecutive buckets from Thompson put Valencia back in front, 40-43. ASVEL’s veteran guard added 6 points to his tally, but Moore and Iroegbu made sure that Valencia retained a 46-50 cushion. Yet, ASVEL fought back, with Watson scoring 5 straight points and Harrison beating the third-quarter buzzer with a coast-to-coast layup for a 61-60 lead.

Reuvers responded to David Lighty’s triple with one of his own before 5 points from Costello put Valencia back in front, 68-71. Thompson nailed a pull-up triple before a Josep Puerto slam in transition made it 73-77 heading into crunch time. Then, Thompson and De Colo traded baskets inside, but Reuvers split free throws for a 77-80 lead with 5 seconds left on the clock. Yet, ASVEL didn’t manage to send the game to overtime, as Harrison slipped over after losing his footing on the other end, allowing Valencia to clinch the victory.

Summer signings Darius Thompson and Omari Moore stood out

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Valencia Basket (2025-10-01T18:00:00.000Z)

The opening round of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season is here. Check out the Game Center in order to see how the teams got on.

Game Center: Round 1

## Wednesday, October 1

### [AS Monaco 84-89 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/as-monaco-zalgiris-kaunas/E2025/9/)

Zalgiris send a message that echoed all around the EuroLeague by downing last season's finalist Monaco 84-89 at Salle Gaston Medecin on Wednesday. Moses Wright led the winners with 21 points on 8-of-8 shooting and a PIR of 28. Nigel Williams-Goss added 14 points, Maodo Lo had 11 while Laurynas Birutis got 10 for Zalgiris. Mike James led Monaco with 24 points. Daniel Theis added 17, Nikola Mirotic 16 and Alpha Diallo 10.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zalgiris open the <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> season with a win in Monaco! 🔥😤<br><br>(Presented by: Go3) <a href="https://t.co/Ux94NlJY8X">pic.twitter.com/Ux94NlJY8X</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1973470516653830523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 96-77 Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-paris-basketball/E2025/8/)

Fenerbahce, the defending EuroLeague champions, kicked off the new season in style with a convincing 96-77 victory over Paris on Wednesday night. The hosts controlled the game for most of the evening, and after Paris briefly took the lead, Fenerbahce used a strong finish to the third quarter to pull away for good. Devon Hall led the charge for Fenerbahce, scoring a career-high 22 points while matching his personal best with a stellar 5-of-6 performance from beyond the arc. Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 20 points, with 19 coming in the second half, while Wade Baldwin rounded out the effort with a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists. Paris’s Nadir Hifi was a standout performer, scoring 23 points and hitting 5-of-7 from three-point range. Justin Robinson added 17 points in the losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">EuroLeague’de yeni sezona galibiyetle başlıyoruz! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Paris Basketball: 96-77<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Hall 22, Horton-Tucker 20, Baldwin 10, Melli 9, Biberovic 9, Colson 7, Jantunen 5, Boston Jr. 5, Bacot 4, Metecan 3,… <a href="https://t.co/oyQtFLBcsT">pic.twitter.com/oyQtFLBcsT</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1973477437033029762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 77-80 Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-valencia-basket/E2025/10/)

Valencia marked its return to the EuroLeague after a one-year hiatus with a 77-80 win away at ASVEL on Wednesday night. In a tight, back-and-forth clash, the two teams exchanged leads throughout the game. Valencia sealed the outcome in the closing stages after its defense managed to hold ASVEL to just 2 points in the last two and a half minutes. Darius Thompson paced the Spanish side with 15 points, with Matt Costello scoring 13 and grabbing 10 rebounds. Omari Moore also recorded a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists, which he paired with 8 rebounds in a complete outing. Nate Reuvers also registered double digits in scoring by netting 13, 9 of which came in the first quarter. Nando De Colo led all scorers with 17 points, Glynn Watson bagged 14 and Bastien Vautier added 12 for the hosts.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS 🧡<br><br>Nos llevamos la victoria en un durísimo debut en la EuroLeague. <br><br>⚫ <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLCASVEL</a> 77<br>🟠 <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 80<br><br>🏆 J1 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br>🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/pamesaceramica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pamesaceramica</a> <br><br>➡️ Próxima parada<br>🍊 Viernes, <a href="https://twitter.com/RoigArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoigArena</a> <a href="https://t.co/6w4CyePsoU">pic.twitter.com/6w4CyePsoU</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1973478879944909220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, September 30

### [Dubai Basketball 89-76 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/dubai-basketball-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2025/4/)

Dubai made its EuroLeague debut a memorable one, beating visiting Partizan 89-76 on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Arena. Dubai opened the game by making its first 7 three-point tries and trailed for only one possession in the third quarter en route to a historic victory. The winners had five scorers in double figures, led by Davis Bertans who netted 20 points on 5-for-7 three-point shooting. Dzanan Musa scored 19, Mfioundu Kabengele added 15 points, Filip Petrusev collected 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Dwayne Bacon finished with 11 points. Tyrique Jones tallied 13 points and 6 rebounds for Partizan, Dylan Osetkowski scored 12, Jabari Parker 11 and Shake Milton 10 in a losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The storyline of <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dubaibasket</a>&#39;s win over Partizan in Round 1 💬<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/rGvQnDDxpJ">pic.twitter.com/rGvQnDDxpJ</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1973100109714874793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv 103-87 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/hapoel-ibi-tel-aviv-fc-barcelona/E2025/5/)

Hapoel recorded its first-ever EuroLeague win right away by downing Barcelona 103-87 in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Tuesday. Antonio Blakeney led the winners with 20 points off the bench, Vasilije Micic and Dan Oturu each scored 18, Chris Jones had 12 and Elijah Bryant netted 11 for Hapoel. Will Clyburn led Barca with 23 points and Jan Vesely and Kevin Punter each added 13 for the visitors.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">היי יורוליג, <br>הפועל הגיעה ‼️ <a href="https://t.co/V15uyRr3Si">pic.twitter.com/V15uyRr3Si</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1973084704074002721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 85-78 Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/anadolu-efes-istanbul-maccabi-rapyd-tel-aviv/E2025/1/)

Efes kicked off the 2025-26 EuroLeague season with an 85-78 victory over Maccabi at MORACA in Podgorica, Montenegro. An entertaining back-and-forth clash saw the hosts trail 75-76 with 04:10 to go, but Rolands Smits stepped up with 7 straight points in the closing stages to clinch it for the Turkish side. Smits and Jordan Loyd led all scorers with 16 points each. Shane Larkin scored 14, with Ercan Osmani and Nick Weiler-Babb netting 12 each. For the visitors, Jaylen Hoard and Roman Sorkin bagged 15 points apiece in a losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👊 50. yıla yakışır açılış!<br>Anadolu Efes 85 - 78 Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv | Maç Sonucu<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/2h2xfTWtIG">pic.twitter.com/2h2xfTWtIG</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1973109862499279108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 82-92 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2025/3/)

Milan made a perfect start to the new EuroLeague season with an impressive 84-92 win at Crvena Zvezda after leading for the lion’s share of the contest at Belgrade Arena. Zach LeDay led Milan’s charge with a game-high 21 points and 5 rebounds while Shavon Shields scored 8 of his 13 points in the first quarter, as the visitors carved out a slender 20-22 at the end of the opening period. Big man Josh Nebo chipped in with 12 points and five boards and Marko Guduric netted 10 points against his former club, nine of them from downtown as he made some clutch shots which kept Milan in the driving seat when Zvezda closed in on the visiting team. At the other end, Jordan Nwora stood out with 19 points while Tyson Carter added 16 and Ebuka Izundu amassed 14, but Zvezda’s new arrivals received preciously little support from the Serbian team’s stalwarts as the hosts shot a miserable 6 of 19 from three-point range.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Milano shines bright on EuroLeague opening night ✨🤍❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/jj7CmOueb9">pic.twitter.com/jj7CmOueb9</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1973117367736738284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 87-79 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fc-bayern-munich/E2025/6/)

Panathinaikos started its quest towards playing the EuroLeague Final Four at home in May by fighting off Bayern 87-79 thanks to an outstanding showing by star guard Kendrick Nunn. Last season’s MVP poured in 21 points with 10 assists as Panathinaikos remained perfect at home against Bayern at 9-0 and now 12-5 all-time with six straight wins. Panathinaikos took control of the game in the third quarter and kept Bayern at bay the rest of the way. Nikos Ragkavopoulos scored 15 points and Omer Yurtseven picked up 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks, while TJ Shorts went scoreless in 10 minutes played. Isiaha Mike and Xavier Rathan-Mayes both set career highs with 18 points each and Wenyen Gabriel had 13 points against his former team.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a> get it DONE at home to start the season off with a win! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/RHjHXShLp0">pic.twitter.com/RHjHXShLp0</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1973118885030179076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 96-102 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-olympiacos-piraeus/E2025/2/)

\--

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="eu" dir="ltr">Final score 🏀 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> 96-102 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BKNOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BKNOLY</a> <a href="https://t.co/MyJQxCqTjS">pic.twitter.com/MyJQxCqTjS</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1973124987272782069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Bologna 74-68 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2025-26/virtus-bologna-real-madrid/E2025/7/)

Virtus started the new season in style by defeating Real Madrid 74-68 at the Paladozza on Tuesday. Carsen Edwards led the winners with 14 points, Saliou Niang added 12 in his first game in the competition while Luca Vildoza scored 11 for Virtus. Mario Hezonja paced Real with 14 points and Gabriel Deck added 12. Virtus put an end to a five-game losing streak against *Los Blancos*.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">EURO DEBUT, EURO WIN! 🌟🏀 <a href="https://t.co/WoYk9HUZZ4">pic.twitter.com/WoYk9HUZZ4</a></p>&mdash; Virtus Bologna (@VirtusBo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusBo/status/1973127189244809340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hapoel and Dubai both grabbed victories in their EuroLeague debuts on Tuesday

Game Center: Zalgiris, Valencia triumph on the road; Fener starts with a win

Virtus Bologna v Real Madrid (2025-09-30T18:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-09-30T18:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v FC Bayern Munich (2025-09-30T18:15:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-09-30T18:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (2025-09-30T17:45:00.000Z)

Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv v FC Barcelona (2025-09-30T16:00:00.000Z)

Dubai Basketball v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-09-30T16:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-10-01T17:30:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-10-01T17:45:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, the defending EuroLeague champions, kicked off the new season in style with a convincing 96-77 victory over Paris Basketball on Wednesday night. The hosts controlled the game for most of the evening, and after Paris briefly took the lead, Fenerbahce used a strong finish to the third quarter to pull away for good.

Fenerbahce sinks Paris 96-77, opens title defense in style

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, the defending EuroLeague champions, kicked off the new season in style with a convincing 96-77 victory over Paris Basketball on Wednesday night. The hosts controlled the game for most of the evening, and after Paris briefly took the lead, Fenerbahce used a strong finish to the third quarter to pull away for good.

Devon Hall led the charge for Fenerbahce, scoring a career-high 22 points while matching his personal best with a stellar 5-of-6 performance from beyond the arc. Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 20 points, with 19 coming in the second half, while Wade Baldwin rounded out the effort with a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists.

Paris’s Nadir Hifi was a standout performer, scoring 23 points and hitting 5-of-7 from three-point range. Justin Robinson added 17 points in the losing effort.

The game started with both teams trading blows. Mikael Jantunen scored 7 points for Fenerbahce, including a three-pointer, but Paris responded with back-to-back threes from Daulton Hommes and Hifi. A baseline three from Robinson, along with hustle baskets from Jeremy Morgan and Leopold Cavaliere, gave Paris a 13-17 lead. However, Fenerbahce answered with a triple from Brandon Boston, followed by a three from Tarik Biberovic and a three-point play by Metecan Birsen, allowing the hosts to close the quarter with a 25-19 lead.

Fenerbahce continued its run in the second quarter, with Bonzie Colson contributing and Hall capping a 22-4 spurt with a three-pointer to give Fenerbahce a commanding 35-21 advantage. Paris struggled offensively, failing to score a field goal for over 7 minutes before Hommes hit a corner three. After a couple of triples from Amath M’Baye and Hall, back-to-back threes from Yakuba Ouattara and Robinson brought Paris within 6 points. Hifi’s third three-pointer of the night made it 43-40 at the break.

Paris briefly took the lead in the third quarter, as Hifi scored 9 points – two of them coming from beyond the arc – to give the visitors a 51-53 edge. But Horton-Tucker responded with a three-pointer to regain the lead for Fenerbahce. The quarter ended on a high note for Fenerbahce, as Nicolo Melli sank three consecutive threes in the final 1:47, including a buzzer-beater, as the lead pushed to 70-59 heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter saw Fenerbahce pull away for good. Robinson and Hall exchanged three-pointers to start the period, but Baldwin’s thunderous dunk and another three from Horton-Tucker made it 80-67. Hifi kept Paris alive with a sidestep three from the corner, but Horton-Tucker and Hall continued to keep Fenerbahce's lead comfortably in double digits. In the end, Fenerbahce cruised to a 96-77 victory.

A 19-point opening round victory for Saras Jasikevicius's men

Zalgiris Kaunas send a message that echoed all around the EuroLeague by downing last season's finalist AS Monaco 84-89 at Salle Gaston Medecin on Wednesday. 

Zalgiris grabs statement win at Monaco, 84-89

Zalgiris Kaunas send a message that echoed all around the EuroLeague by downing last season's finalist AS Monaco 84-89 at Salle Gaston Medecin on Wednesday. 

Moses Wright led the winners with 21 points on 8-of-8 shooting and a PIR of 28. Nigel Williams-Goss added 14 points, Maodo Lo had 11 while Laurynas Birutis got 10 for Zalgiris. Mike James led Monaco with 24 points. Daniel Theis added 17, Nikola Mirotic 16 and Alpha Diallo 10.

Birutis responded to James’s opening basket with a reverse layup, and Williams-Goss followed with a jumper to give Zalgiris its first lead, 2–4. Diallo answered with four quick points to put Monaco ahead, 6–4. Dustin Sleva hit from deep and Birutis added a layup during a 0–6 run that restored Zalgiris’s lead, 6–10. Theis scored back-to-back layups, but Lo and Sylvain Francisco each knocked down a three-pointer to extend Zalgiris’s advantage to 10–18. Theis and Wright traded layups, Mirotic converted a signature backdoor finish, and Azuolas Tubelis nailed a three to push the visitors ahead, 16–23. Wright matched James’s layup with a close-range finish, Williams-Goss hit another jumper, and Jaron Blossomgame’s emphatic put-back slam brought Monaco within 20–27 at the end of the first quarter.

Strazel banked in an off-balanced shot early in the second quarter. Ignas Brazdeikis responded with a three-pointer, and Lo’s driving layup gave Zalgiris its first double-digit lead, 22–32. Elie Okobo tried to shift the momentum with a layup, and Nemanja Nedovic added a fast-break finish that forced Zalgiris to call timeout at 26–32. The visitors leaned on an unstoppable Wright, who scored with a tip-in, erased Theis’s dunk with a powerful put-back slam, and threw down another dunk to singlehandedly restore a 30–38 Zalgiris lead. Francisco hit a three-pointer, matched moments later by James at the other end. Deividas Syrvidis found Sleva for a reverse layup, which James answered with a driving basket. Francisco then beat the buzzer with a jumper, giving his team a 35–45 lead at halftime.

Diallo opened the second half with a spin move finish, and James followed Birutis’s layup with a deep three-pointer. Birutis capped a three-shot Zalgiris possession with a tip-in, then Williams-Goss went coast-to-coast for a layup that stretched the lead to 40–51. Sleva knocked down a catch-and-shoot three from the top of the key, Mirotic scored inside, and Theis answered Edgaras Ulanovas’s jump hook with a layup to make it 44–56. Mirotic continued to lead Monaco’s offense, and Theis added a tough layup, but Lo and Arnas Butkevicius kept Zalgiris firmly in control, 48–61. Wright responded to James’s layup with a jumper, then Okobo hit a three and drove to the basket to cut the deficit to 55–63. Okobo added a jumper before Lo and Theis traded three-pointers, closing the third quarter at 60–67.

Wright took charge with an off-balance layup early in the fourth quarter, soon extending his team’s lead to 62–71. Mirotic responded with a three-pointer and a backdoor layup, giving Monaco hope at 67–71. Wright came to Zalgiris’s rescue with a triple and two free throws, followed by a three-pointer from Williams-Goss that forced Monaco to call a timeout at 67–79. James stepped up for the hosts, and Blossomgame powered through for a layup to cut the deficit to 71–79. Tubelis quieted the crowd with a put-back layup after a Zalgiris timeout, then Williams-Goss added another deep three and a floater. Monaco wasn’t finished—Mirotic scored five points, and Diallo and James delivered highlight-reel poster dunks during an 11–0 run that brought the hosts within 84–88 with 50 seconds remaining. Lo split a pair of free throws, and after James missed from beyond the arc, Zalgiris was able to celebrate a prestigious road win.

Tomas Masiulis recorded his first EuroLeague victory as a head coach

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 1 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 1

## Wednesday, October 1

### AS Monaco vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (19:30 CEST)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, Monaco head coach**

"We are eager to start this new EuroLeague season. We have tried to be as ready as possible, mentally and physically, and also in terms of chemistry within the group. Zalgiris is a team that comes with a different mindset this year. They are a talented team with a lot of dangerous options. It's the first game of the EuroLeague season, so we have to be ready for the challenge. We need to focus on this new season, without forgetting what we achieved last year. Of course, we wanted the trophy, and we're coming back with the same goal and the same winning mindset."

**Elie Okobo, Monaco guard**

"It's the start of the season, and we've been preparing for this moment. Our first EuroLeague game, at home: here we are. Zalgiris is always a tough team to play against, so everyone on the roster needs to be 100% ready. Last season, we were just minutes away from winning the title... New season, new team, with the same core players and new recruits who will bring a lot to the table, especially with their experience. It's going to be a long season, all the way to the playoffs. We're focused on ourselves, on developing our cohesion and getting off to a good start."

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Paris Basketball (19:45 CEST)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce head coach**

"We are very excited to start the season at home with the support of our fans. In the EuroLeague, we will face a team that plays some of the most intense basketball and, compared to last season, has especially grown at the 2, 3, and 4 positions. It will be important to control the rebounds and stop their fast breaks, as those are areas where they have been quite successful."

**Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce forward**

"Since we will be starting the season at home, I’m very excited. I have no doubt that our fans will once again create an extraordinary atmosphere. I invite them to come to the arena once more and support us. It’s going to be a tough game. We will face a team that plays fast in transition and is very active on the boards. By sticking to our game plan, I hope we can make a strong start to the season."

**Justin Robinson, Paris guard**

"Grateful, excited for the long season. Excited to see how we stack up against the best. I'm just ready to go along for the journey with this great group of guys."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Valencia Basket (20:00 CEST)

\--

## Tuesday, September 30

### Dubai Basketball vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (18:00 CEST)

**Jurica Golemac, Dubai head coach**

"We played \[five games against Partizan\] in ABA league last year, more or less their team stayed the same. They added a couple of very, very quality and talented players. This year there are 20 teams in the EuroLeague, I think everybody is expecting a lot from themselves. I think that it is the toughest, the strongest league until now with a lot of quality players. So, in the beginning it is very important how you want to react and you need to think more about yourself than the about the others in the beginning of the season. After a couple of rounds, it's going to be more clear how somebody wants to play, and in which kind of way.

For me it’s just the next day, and to stay healthy. If we stay healthy we can do great things here. But I'm not that good at predicting, I'm not Harry Potter. So, for us, we are sure we have a quality team. I'm sure of this and we just need to stay healthy to work together and to be the best when the time comes."

**Filip Petrusev, Dubai forward**

"I think it's a big day for Dubai, for Dubai Basketball and for us. I think it's the start of something new and I think we have a great chance to make something great this year. It all starts \[with this game\]. So, it's a big day and we're all really excited and ready to play. Partizan is a very experienced team. They've been together all year last year, so it's going to be a tough game, but we focus on ourselves and we are going to do everything we can in order to win."

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan head coach**

"We have the experience from last season of just how balanced the EuroLeague is, and how little we were missing, considering that we lost some games by just one shot. I hope that this experience, along with the ambitions we have, will help us turn it into something that we would all like to see happen in the EuroLeague at the end. As for Dubai, they have a large number of players, without juniors, which clearly shows the kind of team they have built. In what lineup they will appear is still unknown. We have to believe in ourselves, to have motivation, and for the players to be as motivated as they have been in the last two days of practice, and I have great confidence in them. Of course, I have to mention our fans. They are the ones who drive us, and I always thank them for what they do for us. Even in preseason they created a spectacle, so we know what to expect throughout the season."

**Aleksej Pokusevski, Partizan forward**

"They're in a similar boat to the one we were in last year, because they've added a lot of reinforcements. Dubai is an excellent team, so a demanding match awaits us. However, I believe our familiarity with each other gives us a slight edge. We know what to expect, and we're physically and mentally ready. All that's left is to prepare tactically."

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. FC Barcelona (18:00 CEST)

**Dimitris Itoudis, Hapoel head coach**

"We’re very excited to begin our EuroLeague journey. We know the challenges ahead – we’re starting against a team that has it all: depth at every position, experience, size, and plenty of EuroLeague mileage. But we’ve come here determined to fight. We’re here to represent all Hapoel Tel Aviv fans – and we’ll do so with pride, giving everything we have on the court."

**Antonio Blakeney, Hapoel guard**

"We are looking forward to going out and competing in our first EuroLeague game. Since this is our first season in the EuroLeague as a team, we are super excited to prove ourselves every game with our competitive spirit and hustle."

**Jan Vesely, FC Barcelona center**

"I feel good. I'm ready. It's a long season, it's hard to expect anything, so we go step by step. Hapoel is a tough team. It's gonna be physical. They are very talented. So we have to be ready for that. For sure they're a very talented team. They have a very deep roster. Again, it's a whole new situation for them also, so they have to get used to each other. So it's for us, it's going to be a challenge. I'm looking forward to this game."

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (19:45 CEST)

**Igor Kokoskov, Efes head coach**

"Starting the EuroLeague, we have a disadvantage that we're gonna play a home game away. But it's it is what it is. We understand that we've not played the perfect game because we only had four practices as a team. That's a big disadvantage. But nobody really cares and asks us about all these issues that we have. We just have to be prepared, focused and give our best. We understand that we don't play a perfect game but hopefully gonna be good enough to win the game."

**Shane Larkin, Efes guard**

"Maccabi is always a challenging team because of the style they play. We have to be focused and make sure we take care of the ball to limit them from getting out in transition. If we do that and compete on the defensive side of the ball, I think we will start our season in a positive way."

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach**

"Anadolu Efes is very talented, with many creative guards, shooting ability, and a coach who does things differently - very creative. It’s quite clear that we’ll need to stop them on a team level. They also brought in new players, but ones who already know European basketball, which makes it easier."

**Roman Sorkin, Maccabi forward**

"We’re at the beginning of the season, it’s new for everyone. We’re mainly focusing on ourselves. There are players here for whom this is their first year in Europe, so we need to give them time. None of our teams over the years have looked its best at the start. It does matter, but it’s not the main thing - it’s better that we look good later on, in the decisive stages. We need to connect, to play together, and that’s not simple. We’ve got a great group of guys here. The social side is amazing, everyone here is talented, and that’s why they’re here."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:00 CEST)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda head coach**

"We start the season tomorrow and we are very excited. We are playing against a very good opponent, Olimpia Milano. They have a lot of new players. Unfortunately, we have a lot of injuries. We have to fight, we need support, this is a new team. We want to start with a positive result.  We also need the support of the fans. This is a new team and we want to start in the right way. The newcomers are adapting to the team, getting used to the philosophy. We are ready for the first game, but the more we play, the better we will be."

**Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda forward**

"We play against very good team. The situation with injuries makes it a lot more difficult. We haven't reached the level we want yet, but maybe it's too early to be at 100%. Injuries disturb us, but considering the tight schedule throughout the season, maybe it's not bad to get used to such situations now. We play well in transition, but we need more discipline in the attack. There are a lot of new players, it takes time for everything to fit in, which is normal at this time of the year."

**Ettore Messina, Milan head coach**

"We play a tough game, on a tough court and against a very competitive Red Star team. We face this with the enthusiasm coming from being aware of how good we could be as a team based on defense, rebounding and ball circulation. This is what we are trying to build as an identity. Unfortunately, we will start without Lorenzo Brown but the return of Marko Guduric and the players we couldn't use during the Super Cup weekend give us the confidence of being able to play a very good game."

**Shavon Shields, Milan forward**

"We are starting a very competitive EuroLeague season on the road and Belgrade will test our mental toughness immediately. We will need to stay focus and play hard and together for 40 minutes."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:15 CEST)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach**

"Important thing is to be ready mentally after a long break. It does not matter which team we play, we must be ready. That’s the reality. It’s the beginning of the season. Bayern has a lot of new players, but we also have a lot of key new players that will their official home game. It will be important to play aggressive on defense and find a way to win the game. We are 40% ready, but we know even when we are at 40% we must play aggressive. We also need the help of our supporters, because OAKA is always a hot arena, and that will be our advantage. I am not optimistic about playing great basketball, but I am sure we will play aggressive. Cedi Osman will not play this game. Medical staff will try to \[get him ready\] for Barcelona on Friday. Mathias Lessort, they say \[he will return in\] November, so I don’t know when he will join team practices and play games."

**TJ Shorts, Panathinaikos guard**

"I am doing good, definitely ready to play now. The team is also ready to play. It was a very different preseason, with guys playing in the EuroBasket, the guys travelling to Australia and then the other group coming a little later. And myself, I got very sick. It was an up and down preseason for everybody. To have the last four days of practice and actually being together, we had some time to kind of gel, get to know each other, figure out how we are going to play off each other. I am definitely prepared. There is still a lot to learn, and as a season goes on it will get better."

**Gordon Herbert, Bayern head coach**

"It's an interesting situation and also a good challenge to come together as a team. Yes, we are only at the beginning of a process, but the guys have trained very well. To a certain extent, I will again be careful not to overload them. And our offensive package will certainly develop slowly at first."

**Vladimir Lucic, Bayern forward**

"I've been a pro for 18 years now, but I've never seen 80 percent of the team missing in preseason because of national teams or injuries. We've had a week and a half of training together and on Tuesday we start on one of the toughest EuroLeague courts, against perhaps the most talented team ever. Our initial goal is to adapt to the tough schedule with eleven double weeks and little training. We have to get through the games, and there will certainly be bumps in the road, especially away from home, on this wild ride. But we just have to stick together and trust the process of getting better every day."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach**

"Without a doubt, the game against Baskonia is dangerous. Neither I nor anyone on our team sees it as if there’s a favorite. It’s a tough road game in the EuroLeague. Things are uncertain regarding what each team will bring. We don’t think of ourselves as the favorite. We really have to work very hard on the court to beat a team that presses all over the floor, sets traps, plays man-to-man defense, and imposes a tempo on the game that you have to control. I don’t think there’s any danger of underestimating the opponent. That’s not in our minds."

**Saben Lee, Olympiacos guard**

"It’s going to be a tough game. They’re a strong, aggressive team. We need to keep following the coach’s plan. As for us, I think we’ve made great progress in our preparation. I trust the team. The coaching staff has prepared us very well, and I’m excited to get started."

### Virtus Bologna vs. Real Madrid (20:45 CEST)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus head coach**

"We start the EuroLeague against one of the best teams in the competition, with a truly complete roster. They play hard and use transition a lot as an offensive solution. We need to improve on a few things from our last game against Milan, playing better defense, and being more present on the rebounds."

**Alessandro Pajola, Virtus guard**

"We begin our EuroLeague campaign at home in front of our fans, and that should help us against a top-level team, one of the best in the EuroLeague. It will be a game that we need to approach with concentration from the outset, especially starting with our defense, which must be our trademark for the entire 40 minutes."

**Sergio Scariolo, Real Madrid head coach**

"It's certainly a tough away game against a very athletic team, with players with tremendous scoring talent, in a very atypical environment, on a small court with a lot of passion and warmth surrounding the players throughout the game. It's the first EuroLeague game, with all the unknowns, with a team that's still developing, that doesn't have its mechanisms perfectly oiled and that is often resolved with effort, aggression, rebound control, one-on-one defense, desire, and concentration to play those late games, making few mistakes and forcing the opponent to make mistakes."

**Gabriel Deck, Real Madrid forward**

"Obviously, it's very important to try to get off on the right foot, with a win, and we hope to do so, but it will be a very tough game against a good team. We hope to rise to the occasion and bring the victory home. They'll have the added bonus of being at home in this first game, so we'll have to put in a lot of effort."

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 1 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season

Pregame quotes, Round 1: 'Excited to see how we stack up against the best'

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs ahead of Round 1 of the 2025-26 season.

Injury report: Round 1

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2025-26 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!

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Shane Larkin is questionable while PJ Dozier and Vincent Poirier are ruled out for Efes's Round 1 clash against Maccabi on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Vincent Poirier is out for [4-6 months after knee surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-timetable-for-poiriers-return-set-at-4-6-months/).

### AS Monaco

Yoan Makoundou remains unavailable for Monaco's game against Zalgiris on Wednesday, the club has confirmed, but Mike James, Daniel Theis and Donatas Motiejunas are all available.

- Mike James, Yoan Makoundou, Daniel Theis and Donatas Motiejunas missed Monaco's French League opener this past weekend.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Olympiacos on Tuesday.

- Rodions Kurucs is questionable for Round 1.
- Hami Diallo could not finish Baskonia's last preseason game due to a sprained ankle. He is questionable for Round 1.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Ognjen Dobric, Isaiah Canaan, Devonte Graham and Uros Plavsic will all miss Crvena Zvezda's game against Milan on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Isaiah Canaan [suffered an ACL injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-loses-isaiah-canaan-to-acl-injury/) and is awaiting a surgery in the USA
- Devonte Graham will miss Round 1 due to a contusion.
- Uros Plavsic is out for Round 1 due to an ankle sprain.
- Ognjen Dobric is out with an injury suffered during the EuroBasket 2025

### Dubai Basketball

Dubai has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Partizan on Tuesday.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Lorenzo Brown and Leonardo Tote’ are ruled out for Milan’s game at Crvena Zvezda on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Armoni Brooks, Marko Guduric, Vlatko Cancar and Bryant Dunston missed Milan's two Italian Super Cup games this past weekend.
- Ettore Messina confirmed that Guduric will travel for Milan's two road games to start the EuroLeague season and that Lorenzo Brown will not play this week.

### FC Barcelona

Juan Nunez is ruled out for Barcelona's game at Hapoel on Tuesday, the club has confirmed. The Blaugrana will travel to Sofia with 13 players.

- Juan Nunez is out indefinitely due to a knee injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Justus Hollatz, Johannes Voigtmann, Elias Harris, Rokas Jokubaitis and Aleksa Radanov are all ruled out for Bayern's game at Panathinaikos on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- [Rokas Jokubaitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayerns-rokas-jokubaitis-suffers-knee-injury/) will be sidelined until the spring following knee surgery.
- Johannes Voigtmann will miss the start of the season after he suffered a knee injury during EuroBasket 2025 that required surgery.
- Elias Harris has yet to return to action following a knee injury suffered in June.
- Justus Hollatz is not expected to suit up for Round 1.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Scottie Wilbekin and Arturs Zagars are both ruled out for Fenerbahce's game against Paris on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

### Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv

Hapoel has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Barcelona on Tuesday.

- [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/hapoels-yam-madar-goes-under-the-knife/) is not expected to play during the opening week of the season after undergoing an appendectomy.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Valencia on Wednesday.

- Thomas Heurtel missed ASVEL's French League opener this past weekend.

### Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv

According to the club, Maccabi has no injuries for its game at Efes on Tuesday.

- Uros Trifunovic missed two domestic games last week with a sprained ankle, but is available for Round 1.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Olympiacos reported that it will be without Shaquielle McKissic, Keenan Evans and Moustapha Fall for its game at Baskonia on Tuesday.

- Keenan Evans will miss the start of the season with a knee injury.
- [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-center-moustapha-fall-suffers-knee-injury/) could miss the entire season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee during the Greek League finals in June.
- Recently signed Frank Ntilikina has travelled with the team.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Cedi Osman and Mathias Lessort are ruled out for Panathinaikos's game against Bayern on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

### Paris Basketball

Lamar Stevens and Enzo Shahrvin are unavailable for Paris's game at Fenerbahce on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Sebastian Herrera is available after being out with an abdominal contusion.
- Daulton Hommes made his return from injury in Paris's French League opener this past weekend.
- [Lamar Stevens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-duo-lamar-stevens-sebastian-herrera-out-for-weeks/) is out for 'several weeks', Paris confirmed on September 19.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Mario Nakic will miss Partizan's season opener at Dubai on Tuesday due to a knee problem, the club has confirmed.

- Miika Muurinen did not travel with the team.

### Real Madrid

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

- Theo Maledon did not travel with the team for the game against Virtus.
- Gabriele Procida did not play against Virtus due to an ankle problem. He is doubtful in Round 2. 

### Valencia Basket

Valencia has not yet sent an injury report for its game at ASVEL on Wednesday.

- Jean Montero, Xabi Lopez Arostegui and Brancou Badio are out with different injuries.
- Yankuba Sima missed the Spanish Super Cup due to a leg injury.

### Virtus Bologna

Virtus has listed Nicola Akele as the only unavailable player for its game against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

- [Brandon Taylor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/brandon-taylor-sidelined-with-minor-knee-issue/), who had been dealing with inflammation in his knee, missed Virtus's Italian Super Cup semifinal defeat to Milan this past weekend, but is available for Round 1.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Monaco on Wednesday.

- Dovydas Giedraitis is sidelined indefinitely.

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

Injury report, Round 1: Mike James available; Lamar Stevens, Wilbekin out

FC Barcelona announced on Wednesday that point guard Juan Nunez underwent surgery at the Hospital de Barcelona and is expected to be sidelined for the next six months. The procedure was an arthroscopic examination of his right knee. 

Barcelona guard Juan Nunez to miss 6 months

FC Barcelona announced on Wednesday that point guard Juan Nunez underwent surgery at the Hospital de Barcelona and is expected to be sidelined for the next six months. The procedure was an arthroscopic examination of his right knee. A meniscal cyst was removed and the sutures from the initial surgery performed on March 11 were reinforced.

Nunez made a recovery from the March operation and began preseason training, even excelling in an exhibition game against Paris Basketball. However he then experienced an inflammatory reaction in his knee. It was decided that he would undergo an exploratory arthroscopy at the Hospital de Barcelona by Dr. Joan Carles Monllau, under the supervision of FC Barcelona's medical services.

Last season was Nunez's first with Barcelona and he averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 assists over 25 EuroLeague games before sustaining the injury.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">[𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐄̀𝐃𝐈𝐂]<br><br>El jugador Juan Núñez s’ha sotmès aquest dimarts a una revisió artroscòpica del seu genoll dret. S&#39;ha procedit a extreure un quist meniscal i s’han reforçat els punts de sutura del menisc practicats en la primera artroscòpia realitzada l’11 de… <a href="https://t.co/WlmnBj4gok">pic.twitter.com/WlmnBj4gok</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1973306983374581889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More FC Barcelona news

The 21-year-old underwent surgery on Tuesday

If Davis Bertans had tried to script his EuroLeague return, it probably wouldn’t have gone any better than this.

Davis Bertans had a dream EuroLeague return

If [Davis Bertans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/davis-bertans/003458/) had tried to script his EuroLeague return, it probably wouldn’t have gone any better than this.

The sharpshooting forward – playing in Europe’s top competition for the first time since the 2016 Final Four with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz – made his comeback on Tuesday night, and the moment couldn’t have been more meaningful.

Not only was he returning to the EuroLeague but he was doing so in Dubai, with a brand-new team making its competition debut, and [against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/dubai-tops-partizan-89-76-in-historic-debut/), the club where he became a fan favorite and is still considered “one of their own”.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/LatvianLaser8?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LatvianLaser8</a> is living the <a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dubaibasket</a> dream! 🫡<br><br>20 PTS, 5/7 3FG, 4 AST, 26 PIR<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/bF4OFONK0F">pic.twitter.com/bF4OFONK0F</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1973114362937352445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

But if Bertans felt any nerves, nostalgia, or pressure – from making his EuroLeague return after nearly a decade, from facing his former team, or from stepping into a pioneering moment for basketball in the Gulf region – it didn’t show.

In fact, if any of his teammates were overwhelmed by the spotlight, all they had to do was follow his lead.

Bertans, who turns 33 later this month, was locked in from the opening tip. Just 20 seconds into the game, he nailed a turnaround jumper – nothing but net – on Dubai’s first possession. Not only did it make him the first-ever scorer in club history at the EuroLeague level, but it also opened the floodgates.

He followed up with three straight three-pointers and had 11 points in the first five minutes alone, pushing Dubai to an early double-digit lead and injecting the team with confidence and rhythm.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">D. Bertans firing on all cylinders at the moment!<br><br>🔥 3/3 3FG in the first Q<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/rJY1F6R5R1">pic.twitter.com/rJY1F6R5R1</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1973063696717853122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Dubai rode the momentum, draining its first seven three-point attempts – six of them in the first quarter – and setting the tone with crisp ball movement and fearless shot-making.

“It gives us confidence,” Bertans said afterward in a EuroLeague TV interview. “If we play the right way, we share the ball – the offense is going to be good most nights.”

Partizan did claw back, even briefly taking the lead early in the third quarter, but from that point on it was all Dubai.

Bertans led the way, finishing with 20 points on 5-of-7 shooting from deep, along with 4 assists and 3 rebounds.

He was one point shy of his EuroLeague career high, tied his personal best for threes made in a game, and posted a career-high 26 PIR – all in a 13-point win in the club’s EuroLeague debut.

Yes, that’s what you call a dream game.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Huge W in their EuroLeague debut! 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/dubaibasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dubaibasket</a> made a statement.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/N3GhXuvW8T">pic.twitter.com/N3GhXuvW8T</a></p>&mdash; EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1973106859788869906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More Dubai Basketball News

The Latvian sharpshooter started the game hot and led Dubai to a historic victory

Nikola Milutinov dominated like his old self on opening night

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/) escaped Vitoria-Gasteiz with [a 96-102 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-escapes-baskonia-in-a-shootout-96-102/) in a shootout, and to do so it needed a team effort.

The type of an effort in which [Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) had 21 points, after averaging just 10 minutes per game last season. Or [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) orchestrating the offense to the tune of 8 assists. Or [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) and [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) each collecting a double-double, making sure Olympiacos outrebounded Baskonia by 8 boards for the night.

Or the type of calm and focus where the team made its first 30 free throws, before Dorsey missed one in final seconds when the game was already decided.

“We have so many good players on this team, and we need everybody to win games”, Milutinov said after the win. “Every team this year has so much quality, there will not be one easy game. We really need all 12 players.”

One of those players certainly is Milutinov, who stepped up on the opening night of the 2025-26 campaign with 12 points and 14 rebounds, including 7 on the offensive end.

“He is one of the best centers in the EuroLeague, he is crucial for us”, Sasha Vezenkov praised Milutinov.

What is especially significant for the Reds is that this Milutinov’s performance comes with Moustapha Fall facing a long absence after suffering a bad injury late last season.

Olympiacos acquired Donta Hall over the summer, and he chipped in with 8 points in 16 minutes on the floor on this night when he returned to city where he played last season, but once the ball was tipped off, it was Milutinov who was in the spotlight.

Milutinov started this game, after starting just 8 games over the last two seasons since returning to Piraeus from CSKA Moscow. It was also the first time he grabbed at least 10 rebounds since Game 5 of the 2024 EuroLeague playoffs.

This was a performance fully reminiscent of the days when Milutinov dominated under the rims. The knowledge that Milutinov looks like that old, dominant self, is probably what Olympiacos and its fans will love the most about the opening night of the new season.

The veteran big man had a key role in Olympiacos’s road win in Round 1