Bad news for Peñarroya: Key player ruled out ahead of the derby

Big man Tonye Jekiri was forced off late in the first half of Thursday's clash against Fenerbahce after experiencing thigh pain and did not return to the court for the remainder of the game.

The injury was identified as an adductor strain, with the club waiting until their return to Belgrade to conduct thorough medical evaluations and assess the severity and recovery timeline.

Following tests on Saturday, it was confirmed that the center will be sidelined for approximately two weeks.

His team faces Bosna on Sunday in Round 4 of the ABA League before hosting Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet later in the week in EuroLeague Round 7 action.

The Black-and-Whites remain perfect in the regional league (2-0), but sit at 3-3 in Europe's elite competition after dropping three consecutive games to Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, and Fenerbahce.

With an already shortened rotation, head coach Joan Peñarroya faces a challenging situation, and Jekiri's absence presents a significant headache, especially given his importance as one of the team's primary rebounding threats.

VIDEO: Jekiri picks up a technical foul – here is why!