By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After landing in Belgrade last evening, 56-year-old Joan Penarroya assumed his role as head coach of Partizan Mozzart Bet.
The Serbian EuroLeague participant confirmed him as the new play-caller on Tuesday morning.
A few hours after Cameron Payne, who is expected to soon be confirmed as well, the Terrassa landed in the Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport on Monday, welcomed by team sports director Zarko Paspalj and coaching staff member Uros Dragicevic.
Succeeding Zeljko Obradovic and taking over from interim head coach Mirko Ocokoljic, Partizan marks his first coaching spell outside of Spain. He previously worked at FC Barcelona from 2024 until his recent dismissal, at Baskonia from 2022 to 2023, at Valencia in the 2021-22 season, at San Pablo Burgos from 2019 to 2021, at BAXI Manresa in the 2018-19 season, and at MoraBanc Andorra between 2010 and 2018, following earlier jobs in the lower divisions of his home country. With Burgos, he captured back-to-back Basketball Champions League titles in 2020 and 2021, and a FIBA Intercontinental Cup championship in 2021.
Đoan Penjaroja je novi trener KK Partizan Mozzart Bet!⚫⚪
🔗 https://t.co/KMAnqKkErQ#KKPartizan pic.twitter.com/irSHY6yP3G
— KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) December 23, 2025
The next assignment meets the Belgrade outfit at 6-11 in the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, 3.5 games away from the Play-In Showdown zone and four games from a direct ticket to the Playoffs 2026, with 21 games left in the double-legged round-robin schedule before the postseason. An 8-1 tally in Group A of the AdmiralBet ABA League Regular Season sits second behind undefeated Dubai.
The first game with Penarroya in charge is on Friday, in EuroLeague Round 18, with Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv visiting Belgrade Arena.