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- You could follow the match between Partizan and Panathinaikos live on the Sportal website
The high-powered Panathinaikos and Partizan clashed in an intense battle dominated by defense, but an uninspired offensive showing by the black-and-whites proved costly, resulting in a heavy defeat.
From that point on, Partizan were unrecognizable. Lacking creativity in attack and outmatched on the boards, Peñarroya had to find a quick way out of a 20-point deficit—a monumental task against an opponent of this caliber. While the black-and-whites refused to throw in the towel, they simply lacked the weapons to mount a comeback as everything stalled. Those moments laid bare Partizan's offensive limitations and their shortage of potent scoring options.
The media room was packed to capacity with reporters eager to question the coach on various topics, making the post-match address last considerably longer than usual as he covered plenty of ground.
It was an emotional evening, though not entirely seamless—though certainly not in terms of his bond with the supporters. The club typically presents a token of appreciation to those who have left an indelible mark, and they wanted to do the same for Obradović, but he turned it down.
What else can I say other than to thank the fans once again for such a wonderful reception. The love is mutual, without a doubt. I don't need to repeat what I feel for this club and how much it means to me. I'm glad these people understand things and that nobody can influence them in any way; they are smart and they know... Full credit to them for backing the Partizan players—that is how it should be, and there is no doubt they will continue to rally behind them. As for the game itself, we were tight offensively, but defensively it was perhaps our best performance yet. That was likely a consequence of the intense atmosphere.
As he noted, there is nothing left unsaid about everything that unfolded and the reasons behind his departure from Humska.
I have no reason to look back on the past. My bond with this club is unbreakable and it will always remain so. I had a phenomenal four and a half years here and I am proud of everything we accomplished. There is talk about Partizan potentially becoming a permanent EuroLeague member; if that happens, I will be the happiest man in the world. I am confident everyone at the club is working toward that, and it is wonderful that the EuroLeague recognizes that Partizan deserves it.
Addressing his decision to turn down the pre-game gift from Partizan, the coach explained:
People told me something was being arranged in that regard, but I said there was no need. Partizan gave me everything, and I gave everything to Partizan. I will always feel like a part of this club, and no one can ever take that away from me.
He also admitted that he could not stay unaffected by the reception the fans gave him when he entered the arena.
The media sometimes take quotes out of context, so claims surfaced suggesting this game wasn't important to me—shame on them. I merely said that I put my emotions aside and that I am not the most important factor here, nor are my personal feelings. If anyone thinks this game didn't matter to me... of course it mattered. The feeling when you walk out there is incredible because these are my people, the ones I lived alongside. Even when we walked off, the Partizan fans stayed to sing. As long as that is the case, Partizan will always have the unwavering support of their fans.
CABARET #1 Željko Obradović returns, it's going to be wild!
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