By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Heading into Round 28 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, two of the competition’s most injury-plagued rosters, Olympiacos and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, are gearing up for a collision at Peace and Friendship Stadium on Thursday. Both teams are grappling with significant personnel shortages that could dictate the trajectory of their postseason aspirations.
For the Greek hosts, captain Kostas Papanikolaou (back) and Frank Ntilikina (ankle) have rejoined their teammates in practice since Tuesday, while Monte Morris (knee) was limited to individual work, as confirmed by head coach Giorgos Bartzokas during a pregame media session on Wednesday. These uncertainties are compounded by a lengthy list of confirmed absentees. Keenan Evans (Achilles) and Moustapha Fall (knee) remain out following major reconstructive surgeries, while Giannoulis Larentzakis (ankle) and recent casualty Cory Joseph (hamstring) are also sidelined.
The situation is equally challenging for Sasa Obradovic’s Belgrade outfit. The team based in the Serbian capital will be without Isaiah Canaan (ACL), Tyson Carter (pulmonary embolism), Uros Plavsic (shoulder), and Jasiel Rivero (foot) in Piraeus. However, 31-year-old forwards Dejan Davidovac and Ognjen Dobric recovered from recent setbacks and are set to return to the rotation to provide much-needed depth.
Olympiacos currently sits in second place with a 17–9 record, trailing leader Fenerbahçe Beko by two games. Slightly lower in the EuroLeague standings with a 16–11 record, Crvena Zvezda is tied for sixth, the lowest seed guaranteeing a direct ticket to the 2026 Playoffs, adding to the fierce battle for postseason positioning.