"We Had to Change Our Approach After the Injury!" Penarroya Pinpoints Cause of Partizan Defeat: 'Those Minutes Were Dreadful!'

Pulse Sports Team 22:39 - 15 October 2026

Partizan head coach Joan Penarroya addressed the media following the Black-and-Whites' 74-65 defeat to Fenerbahce in EuroLeague Round 6.

Despite a strong start, Partizan suffered their third consecutive EuroLeague defeat, dropping the Black-and-Whites to a 3-3 record on the season.

The Belgrade side held their opponents to just 25 points in the first half, but Fenerbahce exploded for 34 points in the third quarter to flip the script and secure their fifth win of the campaign.

Following the game, head coach Joan Penarroya shared his thoughts at the post-match press conference.

"We played very poor defense in the third quarter, especially in the opening three or four minutes, which was completely unacceptable. We shot 37 percent from two-point range, 30 percent from beyond the arc, and missed 11 free throws. Those are bad percentages, but that wasn't the deciding factor. The key was the first three or four minutes of the third quarter, which were dreadful. We defended well in the first half, but our defense was non-existent after the break. They scored seven easy layups in a row, and after that, the game was practically over. Much like against Panathinaikos, we had a disastrous three or four minutes right after halftime." - Joan Penarroya

He also reflected on the fact that Fenerbahce recorded a staggering 14 blocks in Istanbul.

"We've had huge offensive struggles in the last three games, particularly with our shooting efficiency. Following Tonye Jekiri's injury tonight, we had to alter our entire approach on the fly. We must find a way to play much better and generate cleaner scoring looks. Allowing 14 blocks is simply far too many." - Joan Penarroya