Zvezda's Eyes on Kaunas and Barcelona! A Look at the Standings and Key EuroLeague Matchups

This Tuesday features a slate of eight games in Round 36 of the EuroLeague, with the Serbian public's attention firmly fixed on Crvena zvezda Meridianbet's clash with Paris, scheduled for 8 PM at the Arena.

The Red and Whites currently hold a 19-16 record, sharing the ninth position with Monaco. Here's a look at the other key matchups that will be in focus tonight.

Žalgiris is playing exceptionally well, currently sitting in sixth place with a 21-14 record. Meanwhile, Dubai is looking for a chance to break into the top ten, though they are not in the best position. Jurica Golemac's team has one less win than Zvezda and Barcelona. However, in a potential tie-breaker scenario, it's important to note that Dzanan Musa and his teammates have a better point differential (+13) against the Red and Whites. Barcelona has also defeated Zvezda twice this season, making the math in that case straightforward.

Nevertheless, Dubai must win all three of its remaining games to have a shot at the play-in. After their trip to Kaunas, the team will host Efes and Valencia in Sarajevo and Zenica. Securing three wins seems unlikely, but they will certainly seize any opportunity that arises.

Žalgiris, like Hapoel, has 21 wins but has played one more game. They will be looking to capitalize on any slip-ups from the teams ahead to push for a top-four spot, for which they have a solid chance. In the final two rounds, Žalgiris will travel to face Partizan on Friday before hosting Paris next week.

The game of the round is undoubtedly in Barcelona, where the Catalan giants host Panathinaikos. Both teams are desperate for a win, currently tied at 20-15 and in a direct battle for a top-six finish.

Barça won the first encounter 103-96, a result that could be crucial if they end the regular season with identical records.

In the second game of this double-header week, Barcelona travels to face Monaco, a prime candidate to drop out of the top 10. They will then close out the season against Bayern. There's no doubt that tonight's game against Panathinaikos is a potential "do-or-die" situation for Barcelona.

It certainly is for Panathinaikos, as Ergin Ataman's squad faces a brutal schedule. After Barcelona, they travel to Valencia before hosting Efes next week.

Maccabi, who have been in excellent form with four consecutive EuroLeague wins, currently holds an 18-16 record with a game in hand. They are in a much better position than Dubai in the race for a top-10 spot.

Home games against Hapoel and Virtus could be enough to secure a place in the top 10. The question is, at whose expense? First, Maccabi travels to face Baskonia in the final game of tonight's program, and the outcome will significantly shape their future ambitions.

Following that, they have an away game against Paris. While the result doesn't carry major implications for their opponents, it's unlikely they will simply hand Maccabi the victory.

Monaco and ASVEL will play their Round 36 game on Wednesday. Despite their recent struggles, the team from the Principality must win to keep their top-10 hopes alive.

Monaco has lost both games against Crvena zvezda this season. However, if Zvezda continues to win, Monaco's results become irrelevant to them.

Crvena zvezda – Monaco 2-0

Crvena zvezda – Panathinaikos 1-1 (+10)

Crvena zvezda – Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-1 (+6)

Crvena zvezda – Žalgiris 1-1 (-23)

Crvena zvezda – Dubai 1-1 (-13)

Crvena zvezda – Olimpia Milano 1-1 (-2)

Crvena zvezda – Barcelona 0-2

Video: "Butler needs help!" Obradović annoyed by a question about rotation: "I've explained that behind closed doors..."