By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After two years with Panathinaikos and a memorable 2023/24 campaign, where he helped the Greens assemble an almost entirely new roster that went on to win the EuroLeague, Sani Becirovic moved to Zenit St. Petersburg.
He signed a three-year deal with the VTB League club as sports director and shared his first impressions in an interview with Meridian Sport.
“I can only say the best things. They really welcomed me warmly and made it clear that I have full freedom. It’s a situation similar to my first year in Panathinaikos. Everything is on an extremely high level. The way the club operates and what I felt — it’s a phenomenal organization. It’s a EuroLeague-level club that, due to circumstances, isn’t there right now. Once the situation normalizes, I’m sure we can be a competitive team in a very strong EuroLeague,” Becirovic said.
A former EuroLeague champion both as a player in 2007 and as a sports director with Panathinaikos in 2024, he also looked ahead to the new season.
“Anadolu Efes, step by step, has put together a good team. I haven’t watched Real Madrid much, but judging by the names, it seems like they’ve done a good job. Maccabi pleasantly surprised me — they have an interesting team, a good mix of everything. It will be exciting. Then you have Barcelona, Fenerbahce, Monaco, Olympiacos… the EuroLeague will be even stronger than it has been in the past two years.”
Bećirović also commented on one of the latest EuroLeague signings, with EuroBasket standout Miika Muurinen joining Partizan.
“It’s a good move for the future of the club, especially based on what he showed at EuroBasket. He can be an important piece in Zeljko Obradovic’s new team, but we also know that the EuroLeague is growing every year and becoming extremely demanding. All the young guys will have to grow up quickly, because the league is full of experienced players who will quickly punish inexperience.”
When asked about his former club, he was clear about Panathinaikos’s ambitions.
“Panathinaikos certainly has a great team, and anything short of winning the EuroLeague would be a disappointment. Coach Ataman himself said he has a roster for two EuroLeague teams and that would fight to be in the Final Four.”
Finally, Becirovic reflected on parting ways with the Athens powerhouse after two years.
“That’s life and sports. We couldn’t find common ground to continue our cooperation. At first, I was shocked, but in the end, it turned out that as soon as one door closes, no matter how big, new ones open — different ones, maybe even better ones. I’m done with that, I wish everyone at the club all the best. It was a pleasure working there for two years. From the moment I signed with Zenit, my thoughts have been fully with them,” Sani Becirovic concluded.