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Fenerbahçe Beko Istanbul will host Dubai Basketball on Tuesday at the Ülker Sports and Event Hall, tipping off at 20:45 local time in a pivotal Round 4 EuroLeague matchup.
Both teams enter with 1-2 records, seeking momentum in the early stages of the 2025-26 season, which features 18 teams vying for a shot at Berlin’s Final Four in May 2026.
The Ülker Sports and Event Hall, a cauldron of over 13,000 fans, has been a fortress for the Yellow Canaries, with pyrotechnics, chants and waves of yellow-and-navy banners fueling countless European triumphs.
Dubai, making its EuroLeague debut, faces not just the challenge of defending against the reigning Turkish champions but also the fatigue of long-haul travel.
Fenerbahçe’s rocky start
Defending champions Fenerbahçe began the season with a resounding 96-77 victory over Paris Basketball, led by Scottie Wilbekin’s 22 points and Nicolo Melli’s 15 points and 12 rebounds.
But consecutive losses have tempered the celebration: an 84-81 road defeat at Zalgiris Kaunas saw turnovers pile up against a suffocating Lithuanian defense and a 86-81 home loss to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade highlighted late-game shooting woes.
Onuralp Bitim led the way off the bench with 18 points, but defensive lapses proved costly.
Currently 11th in scoring and rebounding among 18 teams, Fenerbahçe leans on Melli, Hayes-Davis and emerging Finn Mikael Jantunen, while Turkish guards like Melih Mahmutoğlu provide spark off the bench.
Head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius emphasizes rotation management ahead of a grueling double-round week.
Ambitious EuroLeague entry
Dubai Basketball, the UAE’s first EuroLeague franchise, opened with a 89-76 win over Partizan Mozzart Bet, powered by Dzanan Musa’s 25 points.
But subsequent losses to AS Monaco (103-81) and Olympiacos (86-67) exposed rebounding and turnover weaknesses.
Turkish center Sertaç Şanlı, a key offseason signing and former Fenerbahçe champion, averages 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds, while Latvian sharpshooter Davis Bertans and versatile Serbian forward Nemanja Dangubic provide scoring depth.
Coach Pedro Martinez will rely on Musa’s iso play and Bertans’ perimeter shooting to challenge Fenerbahçe’s depth, but Dubai faces the double hurdle of a hostile arena and a third consecutive road game.
This marks the first-ever EuroLeague meeting between the clubs.
Fenerbahçe enters as the favorites, leveraging a 25-5 home record since 2023 and superior size inside.
Expect Jasikevicius to target Şanlı with a high-low attack while Dubai counters with perimeter spacing.
Rebounding and turnovers will likely decide the outcome, with both teams desperate to avoid early-season stagnation.
