ASVEL vs Crvena Zvezda: Centerless Red-and-Whites eye another EuroLeague road victory!

Pulse Sports Team 18:03 - 13 October 2026

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet visit ASVEL at 8:00 PM in Round 5 of the EuroLeague. Follow the action live on Sportal.

Read David Kramer's full statement in our separate report
Dejan Davidovac shares his thoughts ahead of the matchup

ASVEL vs Crvena Zvezda (Tip-off at 8:00 PM)

Match Preview

Following a massive victory over Dubai, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet face another challenging road test, this time visiting ASVEL in Villeurbanne.

Zvezda have faced ASVEL 14 times in the EuroLeague, winning nine encounters and losing five. In games played in Villeurbanne, the red-and-whites have come out on top in four of their seven trips, with their last win coming in Round 37 of last season, when they triumphed 106-93.

Crvena Zvezda travel to Villeurbanne without a recognized center

However, Zvezda face a significantly tougher challenge in Villeurbanne this time around. That is not because ASVEL are vastly superior, but because the Belgrade side heads to France without a single natural center available. Johnathan Motley was sidelined back in Round 3 against Efes, while Ebuka Izundu suffered an injury over the weekend in the clash against Buducnost.

Crvena Zvezda head coach Ibon Navarro addressed the frontcourt crisis ahead of the matchup.

"Ebuka is not flying to Lyon and definitely won't play tomorrow. He had an MRI this morning; we are monitoring the situation almost on an hourly basis and I hope he will be ready for the next game. Alongside him, Stefan Miljenovic remains in Belgrade due to a minor ankle issue, as does young Vojin Medarevic. Playing without a traditional center is not a choice for us, but a necessity—we have to and know how to adapt, so every player must step up and contribute wherever needed, while the club is doing everything it can to find a solution on the market. As for our opponents, people might underestimate them and change the narrative from game to game, but they are an exceptional team that leads the league in made three-pointers and assists, playing with great pace and strong offensive rebounding. Taking so many threes has nothing to do with the NBA or Tony Parker; it's simply modern European basketball. On the other hand, the fact that we remain among the top rebounding teams without our big men is part of our DNA that we've been working on since day one—rebounding isn't just about height, it's about focus, intensity, and energy. Still, even though the media is softer on us after our recent wins, we are still very far from where I want us to be. Right now, our lower shooting percentages are the price we pay for expending so much energy on defense, an issue I've dealt with before in my career, like at Unicaja. But the answer isn't to play less defense, but to learn to execute efficiently at such a high tempo. Patrick Baldwin is part of that process; he's still absorbing European basketball concepts and overthinking on the floor. Now is the time for him to think less and just play." — Ibon Navarro

Davidovac: "We're shorthanded, but we're going for the win"

Crvena Zvezda forward Dejan Davidovac made it clear that his team is traveling to Villeurbanne targeting a victory, despite having no natural options at the five spot.

"I expect a very demanding physical battle against ASVEL. They are a typical French side—very dominant with several experienced players capable of causing problems for anyone, especially on the offensive glass against us. It's true that we lost our second center, but we will adapt by giving everything we have and trying to maintain the strong momentum from our last three games, so I believe we'll be ready. The big win in Dubai did wonders for our confidence. We might have had a slower start to the season in terms of our on-court performance, regardless of results, but this isn't the time to peak anyway. We're taking it step by step and looking better with each game, so we will use this tough away fixture to keep that positive trend going and prepare as best as we can for the rest of the campaign. Shorthanded at center or not, we will give our absolute best to win and gain extra momentum for the upcoming stretch." — Dejan Davidovac

What must Crvena Zvezda stop?

Above all, Zvezda cannot afford to be dragged into ASVEL's chaotic, breakneck tempo. Tony Parker's squad plays at an exceptionally fast pace this season, relying heavily on Tremont Waters and Patty Mills—lightning-quick guards capable of lighting up the scoreboard in the blink of an eye.

Navarro's men will therefore need to do everything they can to control the tempo and play the game on their own terms. Getting into a track meet with ASVEL would be risky; instead of trying to outscore them in a shootout, Zvezda must rely on aggressive perimeter defense and poised, calculated possessions in half-court offense.

What are Zvezda's biggest weapons?

Beyond their primary scoring options in Butler, Nwora, and Jones, Zvezda's defense could prove to be their greatest asset.

If the red-and-whites replicate the defensive intensity they displayed in Dubai, their chances of securing another road win will increase dramatically.

That means relentless pressure on ASVEL's guards—particularly on the perimeter, as ASVEL currently lead the EuroLeague from beyond the arc with 13 made threes per game—along with disciplined transition defense and control of the defensive glass.

Speaking of rebounding, Zvezda's success will hinge heavily on Semi Ojeleye, who will be thrust into action as a makeshift center. Ojeleye will have his hands full contending with Joel Bolomboy and Jae Crowder, with support expected from Dejan Davidovac, Chima Moneke, and Patrick Baldwin. The battle against Bolomboy in particular will be intense—and Crvena Zvezda fans know all too well why.

All in all, while Zvezda hold the upper hand in their head-to-head record against ASVEL, the French side has frequently been a potential trap game for Serbian clubs over the years.

If Zvezda want to avoid the upset, secure their second away win, and string together a third consecutive EuroLeague triumph, they will need a disciplined, composed, and defensively sound performance from start to finish.

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