Navarro Delivers Both Good and Bad News Ahead of Žalgiris Clash

Pulse Sports Team 13:00 - 23 September 2026

Red Star Meridianbet coach Ibon Navarro had a mix of good and bad news before the game against Žalgiris, marking the start of the new EuroLeague season.

The Red Star Belgrade will tip off their new EuroLeague season at 8 PM in the Belgrade Arena.

As announced earlier in the day, Semi Ojeleye will be available for the game. However, Nikola Đurišić will not.

"Semi Ojeleye is ready to play. Đurišić hasn't trained with the team yet, so he won't be playing," head coach Ibon Navarro stated concisely.

When asked about Đurišić's potential return, the Spanish tactician offered no specific timeline.

"I don't know. He's still undergoing rehabilitation, so we don't have a concrete date for his return to the court. Once he completes his treatments with the doctors and physiotherapists, we'll move to the next phase of rehabilitation, and then he'll gradually start working with the team."

How satisfied is Navarro with what he's seen from his players during pre-season?

"This is all a process. You can't expect much after such a short period of training. If you do, you'll get frustrated. Then the players will get frustrated too. It's best to be realistic and understand that this is all a process. Everyone needs to adapt to new things. Pre-season games must be viewed in the proper context. Everything depends on the number of training sessions you've had, whether you had a rest day or not… The public and media don't know this, but we do. There's a reason for everything. Tomorrow will be the first game we've prepared for properly. I hope our approach will be correct. This is just the first stop – we're getting to know each other."

Žalgiris is Red Star's first opponent.

"They've been preparing longer than us. They assembled before everyone else, have already played two official games, and it's clear they'll have better rhythm than us. I don't think we're behind on the most important things needed to be competitive. Of course, there are details we'll work on, but energy is the most crucial aspect."

Spanish Contingent in Belgrade

The number of Spanish coaches in Serbian sports is growing… Has Navarro had a chance to meet any of them? "I've met Alberto Riera the same number of times as Joan Peñarroya. We haven't had much time to talk. During pre-season, there isn't much time. I met one in a parking lot, the other in a shopping mall. It's better if no one sees us in public; let's keep it private," he responded.

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