Partizan Fans Never Forget! /VIDEO/

• Partizan take on Panathinaikos in Round 5 of the EuroLeague, and you can follow the action live on Sportal's live blog.

Partizan fans never forget—neither the good nor the bad. Despite his departure in the middle of last season, Josep Maria Izquierdo is remembered only with fond memories, as there was never anything else associated with his name. As he personally highlighted in an interview with Sportal: "I came with Željko, and I leave with Željko." The black-and-white faithful respected that loyalty, completely understanding his position just as they understood the head coach when he made the decision.

Now, both the Spanish and Serbian tacticians have returned to Belgrade. While there was never any doubt about the reception awaiting Obradović, any questions regarding how the fans would greet others—such as Izquierdo, fellow assistant coach Vlada Androić, or former player Isaac Bonga—were answered 50 minutes before tip-off.

When the Spaniard stepped out onto the court almost unnoticed to oversee the pre-game warmups, he was greeted with a standing ovation and warm applause from the fans already inside the arena. His reaction spoke volumes about how much it meant to him, acknowledging the crowd by placing his hand over his heart.

The interactions courtside also confirmed that he remains on great terms with everyone at Partizan.

The EuroLeague Round 5 matchup between the Belgrade giants and the Athens outfit tips off at 8:30 PM.

KABAREL #1 Željko Obradović returns, it's going to be wild!