Hapoel Tel Aviv Opens EuroLeague Season with Historic Turkish Officiating
Hapoel Tel Aviv is set to begin their second EuroLeague season tonight (Thursday, 19:00, live on 5Sport) against Bayern Munich. The team enters the 2026-27 season with considerable expectations. The opening European game will mark a significant moment in Turkish basketball history, as for the first time ever, two Turkish referees, Emin Mogulkoç and Hüseyin Çelik, will officiate together in a top European competition game. Mogulkoç will serve as the main referee, with Çelik as one of his assistants alongside Portugal's Sérgio Silva. The game is scheduled to take place in Sofia.
In the previous 2025-26 season, Hapoel Tel Aviv finished the regular season in sixth place with a 15-23 record, securing a direct playoff spot where they were ultimately defeated 3-1 by Real Madrid. Last season, Hapoel started their European campaign with a decisive 103-87 victory over Barcelona. Dimitris Itoudis' squad previously faced Bayern Munich, winning 82-72 on the road in December and losing 64-79 at home. The two teams also met during the summer, with Hapoel winning 85-77, handing Bayern their only loss in preseason games.
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