Zvezda, Déjà Vu: Coach Sacked, Wild Streak, Then Shocking Losses and an Unwanted Repeat

After 38 rounds, four more than last season, the final EuroLeague standings are set.

For Crvena Zvezda, at least, their position hasn't changed from the 2024/25 season. Zvezda finished in tenth place, meaning they'll once again be in the play-in tournament, but from the toughest possible spot. They'll need to defeat Barcelona and then another team on the road to secure the eighth seed and a quarter-final matchup against Olympiacos, the top team in the regular season.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Zvezda's EuroLeague campaign, plenty of hype, and even some bold statements from individual players. However, when all was said and done, the red-and-whites finished in tenth place, just like the year before. Although, back then, 18 teams competed in the elite competition.

The season for the team from Mali Kalemegdan can be divided into several phases. Ultimately, it seems that a lack of focus in some must-win games made a crucial difference, leading Zvezda to the playoffs from tenth place, even though at one point, a playoff spot, and even home-court advantage, didn't seem out of reach.

To be frank, the Greek coach's dismissal had been brewing since the end of the 2024/25 season. Failures in the EuroLeague, losses to Budućnost in the ABA League, and Spartak in the Superliga marked the previous year as the club's most unsuccessful in recent history.

Sfairopoulos was given the chance to start the new season on the bench, but after just two EuroLeague games and one in the Adriatic League, he was sacked. Truth be told, the red-and-whites looked extremely poor in those matches. Disorganized and chaotic, and a shocking loss to Zadar, which ultimately sealed his departure from Belgrade, didn't help Ioannis's cause.

Injuries certainly didn't favor him either, but it seemed the locker room, as well as the fans and management, had lost confidence in him. Consequently, a decision was made after just two rounds, and Sfairopoulos became a former coach.

Following Sfairopoulos's dismissal, and before a new coach was officially announced, assistant coach Tomislav Tomović was given an opportunity. It was more of a "chance" in name only, as the red-and-whites were heading to face reigning EuroLeague champions Fenerbahçe, a game everyone had written off as a certain Zvezda loss. However, we witnessed a miracle.

With incredible energy, well-prepared rotations, and immense fighting spirit, the red-and-whites not only won but thoroughly outplayed the European champions. Zvezda triumphed (76-59), securing their first win of the season, and more importantly, gaining new momentum ahead of the arrival of Saša Obradović, a Zvezda product and a man brought in as a long-term project for the club. If nothing else, to rectify past mistakes.

And it started magically. Immediately, it felt like everything at the club had changed. New energy, new confidence, and new players, primarily Jared Butler and Donatas Motiejunas, who was masterful in those weeks, paved the way for the Belgrade giants to the top of the EuroLeague.

Zalgiris, then Real, Baskonia, ASVEL, Maccabi, and Panathinaikos all fell in succession. After nine rounds, the Serbian team was at the top of the table with a 7-2 record, just like Zalgiris. However, it was clear that this winning streak had to end eventually.

Saša Obradović repeatedly stated in press conferences that the winning streak wasn't Zvezda's reality and that it was difficult to expect the red-and-whites to continue with the same results and remain at the top of the table. In mid-November, the losses began.

First, Dubai halted Zvezda's run in a game where the Serbian team lost Chima Moneke just before tip-off. Over the next two months, the team played inconsistently. There were some big wins, like against Olympiacos in Belgrade, but also some tough losses.

Fans were most hurt by the defeat to Partizan, where the red-and-whites squandered a 16-point lead with eight minutes remaining, and that too during a period of complete disarray for their biggest rival. Zvezda briefly redeemed themselves to the fans with victories against Virtus and Efes, but the peak of their poor form was seen in the double-round week around Christmas – Zvezda lost two games, to Valencia in Belgrade and Zalgiris in Kaunas, by an incredible combined margin of 49 points.

The team was searching for its identity. With injured players returning, a new chemistry and hierarchy needed to be established, and it was clear that something had to change within Saša Obradović's squad.

Zvezda needed a win to lift their spirits. They got it on the road against Olimpia Milan, despite trailing for most of the game. However, the red-and-whites managed to tighten up in the final quarter, with Jared Butler, as usual, taking responsibility, and Zvezda ultimately secured the victory. The first of five in a row.

The Serbian giants had an incredible January, managing to defeat Virtus in Bologna, and Monaco in the Principality, in a crazy game that went to overtime.

The team's hierarchy shifted slightly; Devonte Graham departed, and Jared Butler was given more freedom, which immediately paid off for the red-and-whites. They also defeated Dubai and then league leaders Hapoel, sending a clear message to everyone in Europe.

Unfortunately, before the Serbian Cup, two losses occurred – one expected against Olympiacos, but also one that perhaps ultimately cost Zvezda, against Maccabi in the Arena, after a thrilling finish and three missed shots for the win.

Just like the previous season, the period after the cup was crucial for Zvezda's EuroLeague campaign, at least concerning the regular season. And once again, Zvezda faltered in Belgrade in games they shouldn't have.

True, the EuroLeague has never been more competitive. And it's true that all teams are powerful, ready to win, and unconcerned with their position in the standings. However, if you want a playoff spot, Bayern in Belgrade must be defeated, as must Partizan, no matter how unpredictable the Eternal Derby itself may be.

Zvezda suffered two defeats in front of their home fans, which ultimately cost them a better seeding for the playoffs. They did manage to beat Fener in Belgrade, and Baskonia in Spain after a memorable thriller, but with teams like these across Europe, that's only enough for the play-in. In the end, those losses against Bayern, who went on a six-game losing streak after that match, and against Partizan, who they had beaten in the ABA League just a few days prior, made a significant difference.

The red-and-whites did manage to defeat Paris and ASVEL, and with the help of some other results, they advanced a round before the end, but ultimately, that was only enough for tenth place.

There were numerous scenarios heading into the final round; Zvezda could have even reached sixth place and the playoffs in some crazy scenario, but they ultimately finished tenth, which was the worst possible outcome before the final round's resolution.

However, it must be said that all results, except perhaps the one in the Principality, were expected. Panathinaikos and Barcelona easily justified their favorite status on their home courts, Zvezda fell in Madrid, while Monaco's triumph against Hapoel sent the red-and-whites to tenth place. Had the Israeli team won, the red-and-whites would have been ninth.

Had Zvezda won in Spain, they would have finished seventh, which is certainly much better than tenth place. An eventual win at the start of the play-in would have sent them to face Valencia, which certainly seems like the best option, despite Pedro Martinez's team's incredible season. However, mistakes aren't rectified in Madrid.

Real played a powerful game, which was important for their home-court advantage, and sent Zvezda to tenth position. The epilogue of it all is an away game against Barcelona. A win would give the red-and-whites another chance and another away game, against Monaco or Panathinaikos, in the battle for eighth place. A loss would mark the end of their elite season.

Was the primary goal met? Yes, Zvezda is part of the playoffs and the upper half of the table. However, it seems it could have been better, rather than having to find a path to the quarter-finals and a clash with the best team in Europe through two away games.

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