By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season enters its final stretch as defending champions Fenerbahce Beko travel to Aleksandar Nikolic Hall this Tuesday to face Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. While Sarunas Jasikevicius’s squad sits comfortably atop the standings with a 23-9 record and a secured playoff berth, Round 33 remains a critical litmus test for a side aiming to cement home-court advantage ahead of the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens presented by Etihad.
The Istanbul giants arrive in Belgrade under a heavy injury cloud that has significantly thinned their frontcourt. The loss of veteran Nicolo Melli to foot surgery looms large, leaving a void in leadership and interior defense. With Jilson Bango also sidelined from the top of the season, and the trio of Devon Hall, Tarik Biberovic, and Mikael Jantunen listed as game-day decisions, 50-year-old Jasikevicius hopes a reinforced guard rotation will compensate for a lack of traditional size.
For Oded Kattash’s Maccabi, currently 15-16, the narrative is one of survival. Sitting 2.5 games outside the Play-In zone with only seven fixtures remaining, the Israeli side views every possession as a must-win. While T.J. Leaf is out for the rest of the season, Gabriel Iffe Lundberg also remains sidelined due to injury and Oshae Brissett is considered questionable with a personal issue.
Fener’s recent form adds a layer of vulnerability to the matchup. After a dominant 19-game winning streak from January until early March across all competitions, they have stumbled recently, dropping three of their last five contests in the EuroLeague and BSL.