106| Košarka »Basketball THE SERBIAN CAPITAL HAD TWO CLUBS COMPETING in basketball’s EuroLeague in the 2013/14 season, though Red Star and Partizanwere then in different groups, so therewas no eternal derby. This time around there will be, on 8th December in what we expect to be a packed Štark Arena, where the black & whites will play their home matches. The team from Little Kalemegdan will host a second duel on 27th January, in round 21 of the EuroLeague. The red & whites have remained loyal to Aleksandar Nikolić Hall, popularly referred to as Pionir Hall, and we can already state with certainty that itwill bepacked to the rafters. And not only that: Belgrade will alsobeapopularbasketball tourism destination for other EuroLeague clubs’ fans, large numbers of whomhave alreadyannounced their arrival, with the new season of the elite competition getting underway Belgrade once again has two representatives in basketball’s EuroLeague. The continent’s only other cities to enjoy such an honour are Istanbul, with Fenerbahçe and Efes, and Athens, which is home to Panathinaikos and Olympiacos BOT H R ED STAR AND PART I Z AN Let the EuroLeague begin! on 6th October. Just one day later, Red Star will visit reigning EuroLeague champions Efes, ledby Serbia’s ownVasilijMicić, whilePartizanwill be playing away against Alba Berlin. We shouldn’t be concerned about fans and packed halls in Belgrade, butwhat about the ambitions of the city’s eternal rivals? Red Star has changed its team from top to bottom.The trophy-winningDejan Radonjić is no longer leading from the bench, having moved to Panathinaikos, the club that Belgrade’s red & whites will host to open the new season on their home court. Attempting to follow in Radonjić’s successful footsteps will be young coachVladimir Jovanović, forwhom this season’s EuroLeaguewill represent his baptism of fire. “There’s no pressure; this is something that’s part of this job and is faced by other teams. This is a team composed of winners, guys with character, who trainhard every day, and that’s what we really have to do if we want to be good this season. And I’mhopeful that wewill be good,” said Jovanović. Yes, there’s no pressure, but there’s also no Kalinić, Davidovac, Zirbes,Walters,Hollins...The team’s top star is nownational teamplayer Nemanja Nedović, who competed for Serbia in the EuroBasket championship.Othernewarrivals include Petrušev, Adams, Bentil,Holland, Ilić andMartin, thoughwe shouldn’t overlook the likes of Dobrić, Mitrović, Lazić, Marković... Partizan, on the other hand, has strengthened its ranks where it needed to. Željko Obradović, the most successful coach in the history of European basketball, has upgraded the team from his first seasonandbrought in four experienced players: Danilo Anđušić, Dante Exum, James Nunnally and Ioannis Papapetrou. With the retention of Punter, LeDay, Avramović and Lessort, Partizanhas a teamthat won’t be paying much heed to the words of Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics, who insisted that ‘the important thing is not to win, but to take part’. That’s because you can be sure that the black &whites aren’t returning to the EuroLeague just to take part...Though Obradović is trying to keep the euphoria and desire of fans to a reasonable level, given that the season will run for almost eight months. “People somehow forget that very easily and tell various stories. I am here to lead Partizan the best I can and for the fans to recognise what Partizan has always been, a teamthat heads onto the court and gives its all. In that sense, I expect these young players to use the year of experience theygained last season tohelpthemcompeteat anevenbetter level. I expect all the other players that have essential EuroLeague andABALeague experience to be at the level that’s required for Partizan to be at its best,” said Obradović. Ovde samda vodimPartizan najbolje što mogu I am here to lead Partizan the best I can Ovo je tim koji je sastavljen od pobednika, momaka s karakterom This is a team composed of winners, guys with character FOTO: ALEKSANDAR DIMITRIJEVIC FOTO: NIKOLA KRSTIC / ALAMY / ALAMY / PROFIMEDIA
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