Just under two months ago, Buducnost Voli demonstrated their serious threat to their eternal rivals with a victory over Partizan in the Belgrade Arena. If they can defeat another top team, it may indicate an edge for the “blues” over the past two champions of the regional league.

The Podgorica side will face Red Star Belgrade tomorrow at 8 p.m. at the “Aleksandar Nikolić” stadium. A victory here would give them two wins over the “red and whites,” a potentially crucial factor in securing the top spot and home-court advantage in the playoffs.

While it’s still early for calculations, it’s evident that wins in Belgrade — whether against Partizan or Red Star — hold significant weight. Buducnost is ready to challenge a team that has claimed 26 victories in 16 Euroleague rounds.

– Competing in Belgrade is tough, but we will give our all to win. Red Star is in excellent form, but we may have an advantage since they had a double round in the Euroleague – stated Buducnost winger Nikola Tanaskovic.

There’s no guaranteed strategy for victory in sports, but Tanaskovic further outlines what Budućnost needs to do to stand a chance against Giannis Sferopoulos’ squad.

– Our energy, defense, and rebounding must be at peak levels, especially since Red Star features many tall players in their starting lineup who are formidable in rebounding. We need to focus on that, ensuring we control the paint and secure rebounds – emphasized the Partizan academy graduate.

Buducnost has recorded two defeats (to Spartak and Red Star), mirroring Partizan’s losses (to Buducnost and Red Star), while the reigning champions have faced three setbacks, including two against newcomers Dubai as well as Split…

The Montenegrin champions last triumphed over Red Star in Belgrade a little over four years ago, on December 6, 2020, in the ninth round of the ABA League, winning 67:65. That match, also held at “Aleksandar Nikolić,” saw Buducnost experience both victories and severe defeats, along with other tough moments against that rival.

Following that win, the two teams faced each other 15 more times, with Buducnost securing four victories, the most recent being on February 5th of last year when they stunned their fans with an 84:62 win.

Evaluating current form, this might be the optimal time for Buducnost to host the favorite, although Red Star is also in fine form, having recently achieved victories over Asvel and Alba in the Euroleague double round.

Andrej Žakelj’s team has claimed 15 wins in their last 13 matches across all competitions (ABA League and Eurocup), with their only losses coming against Bahçeşehir in Turkey and Wolves in Lithuania, while Red Star Belgrade is on a five-game winning spree, tied for third place in the European elite, just one win behind and one game ahead of second-placed Fenerbahçe.

Undoubtedly, it will be a thrilling derby and another chance for Buducnost to prove that this season could lead to something significant.

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