The Panathinaikos AKTOR squad departed on the afternoon of Thursday, October 31, for Belgrade, where they will face KK Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade the following day. Upon the team's departure, Ergün Ataman stated:
"Red Star is a good team. This year they have built a new team, featuring experienced players and a very good coach, as well as a challenging atmosphere in Belgrade. Yesterday was not so difficult for us; we played well. Prior to this, we had two consecutive away games in Istanbul and at SEF, which we managed well and won. Tomorrow we must play in the same way. We need to be prepared, aggressive, and ready to fight. Red Star is playing well. They have lost a very important player, Joel Bolomboy, but of course, we are talking about a team with experienced players." He continued:
"When playing away in such an atmosphere, the most important thing is to circulate the ball well on offense, distribute it effectively, and find good shots. We must avoid making too many mistakes and not give our opponents a rhythm. This is what we will strive to achieve."
When asked whether he believes that Panathinaikos AKTOR has the most talented backcourt in the EuroLeague, he responded: "We have many good players, just as other teams do. If you think about Real Madrid, Anadolu Efes, Barcelona, or Red Star, which has Milos Teodosic, Nemanja Nedovic, Cody Miller-McIntyre, and Isaiah Canaan. All of them have good guards. I believe my players have confidence, and when they are focused, they are the best for me."
Παπαπέτρου: "Να παίξουμε με σκληράδα"
Papapetrou: "We need to play with intensity"
From his side, Ioannis Papapetrou remarked: "It will be a very challenging game. Red Star is very competitive this year, and their home court will undoubtedly present a difficult atmosphere. We must control the tempo because we know they have talented players, and the game can get away from us if we allow them to find their rhythm. We need to play with a great deal of intensity.
Red Star possesses excellent playmaking from their guards and tremendous talent at the '1' and '2' positions. We must limit their creation and scoring in these two areas. If we succeed, I believe our defense will be largely effective.
Finally, regarding the readiness of Panathinaikos AKTOR in relation to the team's capabilities, he stated: "We have a long way to go to show who we are. Obviously, we are making progress, but I believe we still have a distance to cover to demonstrate our full potential as a team."
