By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
This Wednesday night, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade hosts Olympiacos Piraeus in Round 13 of the EuroLeague campaign at the iconic Belgrade Arena. Everything is set for another basketball spectacle.
It’s not just about the basketball, though. Both teams are 8-4 and riding a wave of good form, with the Belgrade side boasting exceptional talent like Chima Moneke, Codi Miller-McIntyre and Jordan Nwora, while Sasha Vezenkov, Evan Fournier and Nikola Milutinov represent the team from Piraeus.
But the clashes between Crvena Zvezda and Olympiacos are remembered for more than just the on-court action. They are defined by decades of brotherhood – a bond between Serbian and Greek basketball powerhouses that lasts nearly 40 years.
It all started in 1986, when Crvena Zvezda’s football club was set to face Panathinaikos in the European Cup. During that trip to Athens, the first contact with Olympiacos fans was made, with supporters from Piraeus joining forces with their Belgrade comrades in the stands.
Six years later, when the Belgrade side returned to Greece to face Panathinaikos again, a group of Olympiacos fans stood by them at the OAKA Stadium, raising a banner reading: “Good luck Crvena Zvezda – Gate 7.” Many consider that to be the defining moment in forging the long-lasting relationship between the red-and-white supporters of Piraeus and Belgrade.
Fast forward to the 2020s, and the bond seems stronger than ever, fueled this time by basketball. Both Crvena Zvezda and Olympiacos have been regulars in the EuroLeague, creating unique and unforgettable moments in the stands of both SEF and Belgrade Arena whenever the teams meet.
Fans sing in unison, cheering throughout the game. While the players battle on the court, the supporters share the same song in the stands: “You are in my mind, something magical” – a catchy chant in Greek that has become a hit among EuroLeague fans far beyond Belgrade and Piraeus.
No matter who wins, the songs continue to fill the arena long after the final buzzer, with the red-and-white party in the stands almost never stopping.
The strength of the relationship is also reflected in the players and coaches who have represented both teams over the years, including Dragan Tarlać, Dušan Vukčević, Dušan Jelić, Sofoklis Schortsanitis, Vrbica Stefanov, Scoonie Penn, Lawrence Roberts, Igor Milošević, Marko Kešelj, Pero Antić, Miloš Teodosić, Charles Jenkins, Kevin Punter, Isaiah Canaan and Filip Petrušev, as well as coaches Dragan Šakota, Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Vassilis Geragotelis and Milan Tomić.
No matter who comes out on top, the fans are set to witness something unforgettable. “Something magical”, as the song that will echo around Belgrade Arena goes. A wave of red and white will sweep the stands, chants booming, drums pounding, every corner alive with energy.
On the court, the players battle for glory; in the stands, history and passion collide. The EuroLeague at its finest.