MATCH OF THE ROUND: Wounded Zvezda Facing Familiar Foe Spartak
Sunday evening in Belgrade brings one of the most intriguing matchups of the round, as Crvena zvezda Meridianbet host Spartak Office Shoes in a game loaded with recent history, momentum swings and plenty of motivation on both sides.
Donatas Motiejunas (Photo: ABA League j.t.d./Dragana Stjepanovic)
2025/26 AdmiralBet ABA League Group B Round 10, Sunday, 14 December 2025:
CRVENA ZVEZDA MERIDIANBET - SPARTAK OFFICE SHOES
Where? Aleksandar Nikolić Sports Hall, Belgrade
When? 19:00
Story of the Game: Sunday evening in Belgrade brings one of the most intriguing matchups of the round, as Crvena zvezda Meridianbet host Spartak Office Shoes in a game loaded with recent history, momentum swings and plenty of motivation on both sides.
Crvena zvezda Meridianbet enter this clash still feeling the sting of a heartbreaking EuroLeague defeat against their arch rivals Partizan Mozzart Bet on Friday night. The red-and-whites let an 11-point lead slip away in the final seven minutes, turning what looked like a big derby victory into a painful loss. Now, the focus quickly shifts back to the AdmiralBet ABA League, where Zvezda must show character and mental strength to bounce back in front of their home crowd.
The task, however, is anything but simple. Standing across from them is a Spartak Office Shoes side that has proven to be a real nightmare opponent recently. The Subotica team have won the last four head-to-head meetings against Crvena zvezda Meridianbet across all competitions, including a memorable 85:80 home win earlier this season, when they stunned the Belgrade giants and announced themselves as one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
Spartak Office Shoes arrive in Belgrade with renewed confidence after snapping a three-game losing streak in the AdmiralBet ABA League by defeating Mega Superbet in the last round. That win brought some much-needed momentum and belief back into the squad, and now they will try to stay on the winning path by pulling off another upset against a EuroLeague powerhouse.
Match-up in Focus: One of the key individual battles will be between Jared Butler and Olivier Hanlan. Butler has been Zvezda’s go-to man in recent weeks and comes into this game in strong form after scoring 20 points against Partizan in the EuroLeague derby.
On the other end, Spartak’s offensive leader Olivier Hanlan has been a model of consistency, scoring double figures in 7 of 8 games so far this season, and will once again carry much of the scoring responsibility for the visitors.
Head-to-Head Score in ABA: In total 1:2; In Belgrade 0:1.
