EuroLeague Kicks Off: Real Madrid Repeats in Dubai, Barcelona Debuts New Project Against Anadolu Efes

EuroLeague opens this Thursday with seven games and continues Friday with three more. All four Spanish representatives play on opening night, with one facing the same opponent just seven days later.

Dubai-Real Madrid (18:00)

This is an immediate rematch of the SuperCup semifinal, which Madrid won 95-98 in overtime with 20 points from Edy Tavares and another 20 from Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, while Elie Okobo scored 24 for the Emiratis.

The Madrid side is also seeking their first victory in Dubai: last season they fell there 93-85. Three players will make their EuroLeague debut with Madrid's jersey—Damian Jones, Olivier Sarr, and Max Shulga—and one with Dubai's, Davion Mintz.

Barcelona-Anadolu Efes (20:30)

Two completely rebuilt teams that faced each other in the 2021 final. Barcelona arrives with eleven new signings and Aleksander Sekulic on the bench, with up to six of their players potentially making their EuroLeague debut.

Anadolu Efes has added six new faces, including Mike James, the competition's all-time leading scorer, Fatts Russell, the last EuroCup's leading scorer, and Dario Saric, who returns to the club nearly a decade after leaving for the NBA.

The historical head-to-head record this century favors the Blaugrana (18-16), with victories in their last three matchups in Barcelona.

Baskonia-Olympiacos (20:30)

Second consecutive year these two open the season against each other. Last year ended 96-102 for the Greeks, with 24 points and 13 rebounds from Sasha Vezenkov, who would finish the season as MVP and champion while Baskonia finished eighteenth.

The numbers favor the visitors: four straight wins against the Vitoria side and four of their last five games in Vitoria. Baskonia is counting on Chris Duarte, AJ Lawson, and Kenneth Faried to start, though they arrive with an unresolved frontcourt after Khalifa Diop's departure and Alex Len's contract termination.

Besiktas-Valencia (Friday, 19:00)

Besiktas returns to EuroLeague thirteen years after—their last game was in April 2013—and does so against last season's revelation team, which reached the Final Four.

This is the first-ever matchup between the two. The Turks arrive with nine new signings and Dusan Alimpijevic on the bench; Valencia also with nine, including TJ Shorts, who is expected to be Xavi Albert's main reference.

Rest of Thursday

Hapoel Tel Aviv-Bayern (18:00), in Sofia. Anton Gavel makes his Bayern coaching debut against the club of Vasilije Micic, with whom he shared a locker room in Munich. Four Hapoel players make their EuroLeague debut and Bayern recover Rokas Jokubaitis after a lost season.

Crvena Zvezda-Zalgiris (20:00). Ibon Navarro's first official game in Belgrade, against a Zalgiris reinforced with Jonas Valanciunas. The last precedent was emphatic: 99-67 for the Lithuanians in January.

Panathinaikos-Paris (20:15). Zeljko Obradovic returns to the Greek bench, with Francisco, Bonga, and Yabusele added, but missing Nunn, Hayes-Davis, and Sloukas. Paris, French Supercup champions, are undefeated in their two previous visits to Athens.

ASVEL-Maccabi (20:45). Tony Parker makes his coaching debut with twelve new players, including Patty Mills and Jae Crowder. Maccabi arrives with nearly their full roster and has won their last ten matchups against ASVEL.

Rest of Friday

Fenerbahce-Virtus (19:45). Nine new signings per side. The Turks recover Clyburn, Larkin, and Sanli; seven of Virtus's new additions make their EuroLeague debut.

Partizan-Olimpia Milano (20:45). Matchday closer at Belgrade Arena, with Carlik Jones as the local reference. Milan arrives after winning the Italian Supercup and relies on Moses Wright and Alec Peters.