By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Euroleague Basketball revealed the decision to relocate the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 19 affair between Fenerbahce Beko and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.
The game will be held at Kalnapilio Arena in Panevezys, as announced by Euroleague Basketball on Thursday.
Per the press release: “The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 19 game between Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, scheduled for January 4, will be played at Kalnapilio Arena in Panevezys, Lithuania, instead of Istanbul as originally scheduled.
This decision has been taken considering Turkish and Israeli government recommendations.”
Similar reasons have led Maccabi to play home games behind closed doors in Belgrade’s Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. Despite the lack of genuine homecourt advantage, the team coached by Oded Kattash is up to 9-7 in the EuroLeague, sitting at the bottom end of the Play-In zone with one game left in the first half of the double-legged round-robin schedule.
On the other side, Fener has been perfect at home with seven wins in as many showings in Ulker Sports Arena during the 2023-24 edition of Europe’s premier club continental competition. The approaching home fixture opposite the reigning champions of Israel’s Ligat Winner moved to Lithuania can be alarming, especially considering a poor 2-7 record in games away from Istanbul.
In Round 17 of the EuroLeague’s Regular Season, the team coached by Sarunas Jasikevicius collides with crosstown rival Anadolu Efes, and Maccabi visits Zalgiris. Both games are scheduled to be played today.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net