Euroleague basketball: winning debut for Milan and Virtus Bologna

The winning debut in the Euroleague 2025-26 is the best gift on the night of the 66th birthday of Ettore Messina. The Olimpia Milano has the upper hand in the home of the Red Star 92-82, dragged by the 21 points of Leday, and enjoys the debut of Guduric, already a leader in the key moments, author of 10 points with 3/4 from three. Sweet European debut also for Virtus Bologna who beats Real Madrid 74-68 at PalaDozza, dragged by a Super Carsen Edwards, who puts 14. Niang also excellent, who gives talented flames and closes with 12 points. The V-Neres return to beat the Spaniards, it did not happen since 2022. 14 points of Hezonja in Scariolo are not enough. The winning debut of the Dubai team, at its absolute first in Euroleague, victorious 89-76 on Partizan Belgrade, should be noted.

Red Star-Olimpia Milan 82-92

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Good first in Belgrade for Milan against an opponent without excellent players such as Canaan and Graham, but with an important roster. The Olimpia never kills the race, but she is good at winning every part, thanks also to the excellent shooting percentages: 64% from two and 45.8% from the arch (11/28). Zach Leday is the best scorer of the race with 21 points (plus 5 rebounds), precious in the first quarter and cynical in the final, when he perfectly reads the opposing defense and puts the first success of this Euroleague on ice. Between everything happens. Important Bolmaro (9 points), always ready to launch yourself in attack. With Shields and Brooks it builds the second quarter break, when rhythms and percentages are high for both teams. Two flames of Mannion also contribute to the interval (41-45), while on returning from the Milan interval, he entered and scores 6 points in 5 minutes, blocked by the newfound aggression of the Serbs. In those minutes, the experience of NEBO who acts as a compass for the whole team, and sorts and sorts balloons. The trigger is a timeout by Messina, Nebo is the flame that rekindles the team. Pippo Ricci and above all Guduric benefit from this, who marks the first two triples of his era in the Olimpia shirt, essential to fly to the double figure of advantage (+12, 63-75) at the beginning of the quarter period.

Red star: Nwora 19, Carter 16, Ebuka and Miller-Mcintyre 14.

Milan: Leday 21, Shields 13, nebo 12.

Virtus Bologna-Real Madrid 74-68

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Winning debut in this Euroleague for the V-Nere against the Blancos. The first phase of the race is studying. Real is dragged by Hezonja and Deck, while the V-Nere struggles to attack the iron, paying the difference of centimeters and kilos. With the passing of the minutes, Ivanovic’s men grow, thanks to the offensive gusts of an excellent Morgan and the games of Vildaza, which light the Bolognese public. The best performance of the hosts is also due to the greater balance in the bounce fight, after the initial difficulties. Scariolo (whistled by the public virtussino before the match) is in the warm hands of Hezonja. Bologna closes the first half forward of a possession: 38-35. Upon returning from rest, Virtus enjoys the first European flashes of Edwards’s talent, who manages to give some shock to the team, but the blancos resist and respond, with the usual number 11 and deck. In the last 10 ‘, Bologna unlocks from three, relying on his most valuable hands. The triples of a very inspiring Vildaza and the former Bayern Munich send it to +12. With a partial of 7-0, propitiated by Tavares and Hezonja, the match returns to balance, with the Spaniards who do underneath even two lengths, after a triple of Campazzo. Hackett’s free shocks close the speech and give the first seasonal victory in Bologna in Euroleague.

Virtus: Edwards 14, Niang 12, Vildaza 11.

real Madrid: Hezonja 14, deck 12, Campazzo 8.