This evening at 18:00, the EuroCup quarterfinals feature an exciting match in Istanbul, where Bahçeşehir hosts Slovenian Cedevita-Olimpija. The winner will advance to the semifinals for the first time in the competition’s history.

The matchup highlights two Montenegrin coaches, who have not faced each other often in their careers: Bahçeşehir’s Dejan Radonjić and Cedevita’s Zvezdan Mitrović.

Radonjić was born on February 2, 1970, while Mitrović was born 17 days later. This will mark their third coaching encounter; their first was in the Euroleague during the 2019/2020 season, where Radonjić led Bayern to a 104:63 victory over Asvel. The following season, Mitrović’s Monaco triumphed against Radonjić’s Red Star with a score of 70:62.

Bahçeşehir topped Group A, securing a direct spot in the quarterfinals, while Cedevita fought through a playoff against favorites Beşiktaş last week, winning 96:86. This season has been remarkable for the “dragons,” as they reached the top eight in the EuroCup for the first time since the 2021/2022 season.

– Dejan Radonjić, my godfather and brother, has built an impressive European team with evident ambition. Bahçeşehir has excelled in a tough group, their roster is strong across all positions, featuring numerous experienced and talented players. They approach their work with great seriousness and have lofty aspirations – commented Mitrović after his squad’s win against Red Star Belgrade in the AdmiralBet ABA League on Sunday.

Radonjić’s influence is apparent in Bahçeşehir’s performance, as the team averages 74.7 points per match in the EuroCup and remains undefeated at home in this tournament.

– Everyone knows Radonjić’s defensive principles. Under him, Red Star was among the best in the Euroleague, and this Bahçeşehir team possesses significant talent on offense as well as defensive capabilities – elaborated Mitrović, who will be without Jako Blažič for this game.

The captain’s season has come to an end.

– Blažič needs time to recover; we aren’t rushing the process. We’ll see if we have the budget to add a player. We’re not actively seeking him out, but if we find a suitable option, it’s crucial since he needs to be available for another three months – Mitrović stated.

The winner of this matchup will go on to face either Gran Canaria or Hapoel Jerusalem in the best-of-two semifinals. The other quarterfinal pairings are Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Turk Telekom, and Valencia vs. Cluj.

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