Fenerbahçe Beko heads into one of its most consequential games of the season Thursday, visiting Olympiacos Piraeus in a Week 14 EuroLeague clash that could reshape the playoff race.
Tipoff is set for 7:15 p.m. UTC (9:15 p.m. local time) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, long regarded as one of Europe’s most imposing arenas.
Knife’s edge
Both teams enter the night at 8-5, with Olympiacos sixth and Fenerbahçe eighth – separated only by point differential.
Their EuroLeague history mirrors that razor-thin margin: Olympiacos leads the all-time series 19-17, though Fenerbahçe swept both regular-season meetings last year, including a gritty win in Piraeus.
Their rivalry stretches across 42 European matchups, highlighted by Fenerbahçe’s 80-76 win in the 2017 Final Four en route to the club’s lone EuroLeague title.
Olympiacos still holds the overall edge (24-18), but recent seasons have swung back toward the Turkish side.
Footing after rocky start
Fenerbahçe’s season flipped on Oct. 31, when a scrappy win over ASVEL began a five-game surge. Since then, head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius’ team has rediscovered its defensive identity, holding opponents to 71.2 points during the streak.
Statement wins over Efes, Bayern, Maccabi and last week’s 66-64 grinder against Virtus Bologna have pushed them back into playoff position.
Wade Baldwin IV has steered the resurgence with 14.3 points per game, aided by Scottie Wilbekin’s playmaking and Matej Colson’s rebounding presence.
Fenerbahçe’s efficiency – 79.6 points, 35.5 rebounds and a top-seven shooting percentage – has powered the climb, even as turnovers remain a concern against Olympiacos’ high-pressure guards.
Olympiacos Leans on Home Firepower
Olympiacos has built its 5-1 home record on tempo, ball movement and long-range precision.
They average 86.4 points and a league-best 19.1 assists, led by Tyler Dorsey’s 17.8 points and Sasha Vezenkov’s inside-out versatility.
The Greek giants shoot 38.2% from three but have shown vulnerability in the paint, allowing heavy traffic inside in recent weeks.
The matchup pits Fenerbahçe’s rhythm against Olympiacos’ furnace-like home environment – a game that could vault the winner into the top six as the season nears its midpoint.
Anadolu Efes eye milestone in Madrid
On the same night, Fenerbahçe’s compatriots, Anadolu Efes, host Real Madrid in Istanbul at 8:15 p.m. local (5:15 p.m. UTC), hoping to halt a slide and make history in the process.
The club enters its 889th European game with a chance to secure its 500th continental victory – a symbolic milestone for Türkiye’s most decorated European side.
New voice, urgent moment
Efes (5-8) parted ways with head coach Igor Kokoškov after a 98-76 loss to Monaco last week.
Assistant Radovan Trifunovic steps in as interim coach, tasked with stabilizing a roster struggling to close games and surrendering 85.8 points per contest.
Despite the turbulence, Efes’ European pedigree remains unmatched in Türkiye: a 499-389 all-time record, 641 EuroLeague games and back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.
Real Madrid arrive at 7-6 and tenth in the standings but leads the league in rebounding with Edy Tavares anchoring the paint.
Their 84.5 points per game mask recent inconsistencies, including a loss to Panathinaikos last week.
Madrid have dominated the head-to-head series 28-14, though Efes’ biggest modern triumph – a 2022 Final Four win – looms large.
Shane Larkin and Elijah Bryant headline Efes’ attack, while a volatile defense remains the club’s biggest hurdle.
The Daily Sabah Newsletter
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.
SIGN ME UP
You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
