The First "Real" Blow and the Overtime That Changed Everything: Has Zvezda Learned from Barcelona's Defeats?

Following a somewhat lackluster end to the season and missteps that impacted their final standing, Crvena Zvezda finished the league phase in tenth place, facing a tougher path forward.

Their first play-in opponent will be Barcelona, a team Zvezda must defeat to keep their EuroLeague quarter-final hopes alive. A loss would see Xavi Pascual's side advance, while the Belgrade team's European campaign would conclude.

Their two previous encounters this season offer little encouragement, as Barcelona emerged victorious on both occasions. The first was in Belgrade (89:79), and less than a month ago, the same team edged out Zvezda in overtime, a clash that significantly influenced the final league standings.

The team from Mali Kalemegdan experienced a true resurgence with Saša Obradović at the helm, stringing together seven wins and even briefly sharing the top spot in the EuroLeague. However, November brought a series of defeats.

First, Dubai defeated the red-and-whites, albeit on their home court and in a game where the Serbian team was significantly weakened. Zvezda also narrowly lost an away game to Valencia, but their first significant defeat came at the hands of Barcelona.

This occurred when the Mali Kalemegdan club held a 9-4 record, near the top of the table, with only one home loss from the first round. However, invigorated by Xavi Pascual's arrival, Barcelona's players delivered a stellar performance, overcoming the red-and-whites (89:79).

Will Clyburn was brilliant, seemingly unable to miss in the first half, and Dario Brizuela, a player who consistently performs well against Zvezda, also shone. On several occasions, the home team erased double-digit deficits, but Saša Obradović's squad ran out of steam at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters.

It was then that Barcelona established a crucial double-digit lead, which they maintained. This marked the first of three consecutive losses for Crvena Zvezda, who entered a poor run of form after their encounter with the Catalans.

The two teams met again in Round 34, and once more, Barcelona emerged victorious, though this time after even greater drama.

Having defeated Baskonia just two days prior, it was evident that Zvezda was fatigued in Catalonia, a fact reflected in the performance of Saša Obradović's players on the court.

Jared Butler had an off night, delivering one of his weakest performances in a Zvezda jersey, as did Cody Miller-McIntyre. Chima Moneke, it seemed, had expended his energy in Vitoria, almost single-handedly securing two points for the red-and-whites in overtime. However, Jordan Nwora covered for them all.

Nwora scored 26 points, and after a shocking finish and Butler's points in the final possession, Zvezda managed to force overtime. Unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize.

Too much isolation play, too many ill-advised shots, and a bit of Barcelona's experience – despite squandering an opportunity to win in regulation, Xavi Pascual's players ultimately secured the points in a game that also impacted the final standings of the elite competition (92:88).

VIDEO: Kalinić and Vesely's cordial greeting before the game