PARTIZAN – ŽALGIRIS Play for Duško: Black and Whites bid farewell to a legend, fans queue all day outside the Arena
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- Fans bid farewell to their legend Duško Vujošević tonight
- The Black and Whites suffered their second-heaviest European defeat in history in Kaunas
- Partizan can help Crvena Zvezda with a win
A book of condolences has been opened on the plateau in front of the north side of the Belgrade Arena. Fans have been arriving throughout the day to pay their respects to the great man, with the largest crowds expected as tip-off approaches.
Ahead of the Match
This Friday at the Arena, everything will be dedicated to Duško Vujošević, Partizan's most decorated coach, who passed away in Belgrade on April 8th after a long and difficult illness.
Vujošević's last EuroLeague game was precisely against Žalgiris, and Partizan plays the team from Kaunas tonight at 8:30 PM in Round 37 of the EuroLeague. Tears are guaranteed this evening at the Arena.
In the first game of this season's final EuroLeague double-header, Partizan lost to Efes in Istanbul after overtime. However, against Žalgiris, they are determined to secure a victory for Duško and "avenge" the humiliating result from their first encounter in Kaunas earlier in the season.
Peñarroya: We want to compete, we remember Kaunas
In his pre-game comments against Žalgiris, Partizan coach Joan Peñarroya first spoke about Duško Vujošević:
- He is a legend in Serbia and European basketball, especially at Partizan. Wednesday was a sad day for his family. He was a very good coach who developed many generations of players.
Žalgiris convincingly defeated the Black and Whites in Kaunas earlier in the season, but Peñarroya emphasizes that circumstances will be different now.
This is a EuroLeague game, and it's not easy to compete after so many matches. For the last two or three weeks, we haven't been able to count on Tony Jekiri; he needs to rest. Now we have to use Bonga and Dylan at the center position. We want to compete, and our players remember the game against Žalgiris in Kaunas. This is a very important match for them.Joan Peñarroya
You can read Joan Peñarroya's full statement in a separate article.
Radanov: The first game in Kaunas was tough, a lot has changed
Aleksa Radanov spoke particularly emotionally about Vujošević, stating before the Žalgiris match that he was a great admirer of Duško's work, even though he never played for him.
First and foremost, I would like to extend my condolences to the Vujošević family. Duško is a legend of Serbian basketball and beyond; he had a huge impact on Partizan and on me personally, even though I may not have played for him. As a kid, I followed the games, and I can say I was a fan of his work. This has affected all of us, as fans and admirers of his character and legacy. Because of this, we have an obligation to play the best game possible. It will certainly be emotional. The first game in Kaunas was very bad for us; the team was in a difficult situation, and a lot of changes happened then.Aleksa Radanov
You can read Aleksa Radanov's full statement in a separate news report.
Where to watch Partizan - Žalgiris
The broadcast from the Arena is secured, and everyone who cannot attend the largest hall in the Balkans can follow all the action on TV Arena 2 Premium.
EuroLeague Standings
Video: Radanov pays tribute to Vujošević: I was a huge fan of his work!
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