Hapoel Tel Aviv Coach Vows Not to Fall Into Red Star Belgrade's Traps

Hapoel Tel Aviv, following an opening EuroLeague loss to Bayern Munich, is set to face Crvena Zvezda Belgrade (Red Star Belgrade) on Tuesday, aiming for their first European victory of the 2026-27 season. Head coach Dimitris Itoudis expressed confidence in his team's preparation, stating, "The preparations are excellent. We analyzed our two games. We know it will be a very demanding game. It's a team that has strengthened its roster and has the same goals as us, to finish in the playoffs." He acknowledged Red Star's home-court advantage and fan support but asserted Hapoel has the players to manage the atmosphere and avoid their opponent's "traps."

Guard Vasilije Micić, returning to his hometown of Belgrade, shared his positive feelings about the upcoming match. "We feel good, we are ready. We watched many games of Red Star and hope we will respond well," Micić said. He emphasized the need for consistent focus throughout the game, noting that "there were many ups and downs in the previous game, but at this level, you cannot afford so many inefficient minutes." Micić added that playing in Belgrade always feels special, saying, "It's always fun because I feel at home. It always feels good to be in this arena."