@kkcrvenazvezda is hosting @PartizanBC (@ABA_League) after a huge win in @EuroLeague

Crvena Zvezda Mts, after a huge win against Olympiacos Piraeus in EuroLeague, will host Partizan NIS in the Round 18^th of the ABA League.

Even though Red and Whites used a lot of energy against EuroLeague’s three time champions, players will forget about that because they will play against their neighbour and the greatest rival.

This will be the first duel between Black and Red and Whites in 2018, and both teams are motivated: Partizan NIS because they need this win in order to try to reach Playoffs in regional league, while Zvezda is aiming first place and home court advantage in Playoffs.

Dušan Alimpijević, head coach of Crvena Zvezda, before this game asked all fans to come and support their team.

“Derby is another game we are scheduled to play and it comes after few days we had for practice. And, every time we had some extra days for preparing the games, good results came along. But, game against Partizan is totally different thing and we can’t only count on our preparation. That is the match where every player gives his maximum. Derby is a special game, in some previous matches between these two times winners weren’t always better teams in that moment. Every derby is a different story. Looking back at first game, Partizan changed a lot. They are playing aggressively and change of foreign players and some other members of the time tells us that they didn’t back off from their goal. We, after a huge win against Olympiacos, are acting like nothing happened. We are familiar with importance of this game and that win will be another huge thing for our club. I want to ask all our fans to come and support us because it is important, as a home team, to have them by our side”, said Alimipijević at the press conference before the game against Partizan.

On the other hand, coach of Black and Whites, Nenad Čanak said that this match is important for both team, not only because it is derby, but due to final ranks both teams are trying to reach.

“I don’t have anything special to add about the derby. That story was retold many times before. This special game is also important because both teams are trying to have better ranks in league. The coach who is talking that in derby no one has a little advantage is with a team which is playing better in that moment. We will try to play against Zvezda as better as possible, and we will fight with lot of energy. We don’t think they are tired. I know that win against them will fix a lot of things and that loss will spoil everything that was done well before. I expect that my team will give their maximum and that will fight and I am hoping that we can surprise Crvena Zvezda. Mihajlo Andrić will miss the game, and also (Marko) Čakarević and (Obrad) Tomić, who were injured before. (Đorđe) Gagić had a virus and he had only one practice before this game. And that is it, others are healthy”, said Čanak.