Partizan or Red Star - whoever was on the other side of the court in recent years, the epilogue was the same, Belgrade remained an impregnable fortress. Until a little less than two months ago, when the basketball players of Budućnost Voli showed that this season they too will have something to show in the competition between the two powerful teams from the Euroleague.
Partizan lost in the Serbian capital in December, after four years, and now would be the ideal moment if something similar happened against Red Star - the derby of the 20th round of the AdmiralBet ABA League will be played tonight at 20 pm in "Pionir".
- We want to make things difficult for Red Star, but we are far from going to Belgrade just to play a good game. We have our goals and we will try to surprise them - he said Andrej Zhakelj, coach of the "blue and whites".
The "black and white" side of Belgrade was won in December 2024, and the "red and white" last time in December 2020, when the team he led Petar Mijović overcame the team Saša Obradović (67: 65).
Red Star has had a strong team in recent years, but it seems like never before like this season - after all, the fifth place they hold in the Euroleague best confirms this.
- We know who we are playing against, we are facing a Euroleague team with a wide squad and great individual quality. Red Star has been playing great as a team lately, coming into the derby from a double round in the Euroleague in which they achieved two triumphs and it will certainly be difficult - added Žakelj, but once again emphasized:
- We will do everything to prepare as best as possible for this opponent.
The energy he always carries Djordje Jovanovic All players in blue and white jerseys will need it tonight.
- Another very important game for us - we are playing against a rival who is in excellent rhythm in all competitions - emphasized Jovanović.
The guy who was a member of the bronze medal-winning youth national team of Montenegro arrived in Buducnost during the summer and has shown through the matches so far why he is a great talent and how much he can bring to the team from Podgorica. Before another tough match, he wants another victory that would keep the "blue and white" at the top with Partizan, and give Red Star two more wins.
"All we have to do is prepare as well as possible and enter the derby motivated, in which we want to triumph," Jovanović said clearly.
Since winning the 2020 match, also played at “Pionir”, the Montenegrin and ABA League champions have played 15 matches, with the score 11-4 for Red Star. Buducnost last won a year ago when they convincingly won at “Morača”.
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In the last games against Red Star Belgrade, Buducnost basketball players lost
In addition to the victory over Partizan, the first game against Red Star this season showed that this Buducnost knows how to handle the ABA League representatives in the Euroleague. Andrej Žakelj's team was defeated 75:73, in a match marked by disastrous refereeing. Saša Pukla, Josip Radojković i Denis Hadžić.
Buducnost is at the top of the ABA League, has qualified for the Eurocup playoffs, and is in great form, having won 15 of its last 13 matches - another big triumph in Belgrade would be further confirmation that the "blue and white" are ready for big things this season.
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