Barcelona faced another tough test this Friday, falling to Fenerbahce 81-73 after a bright start. The Catalan side opened with a strong first quarter, but the second period sapped their momentum and left them short on chances to climb back against the Turkish outfit.
The azulgrana were led offensively by Nikola Mirotic, who totaled 19 points, with the support of a productive second half from Jonathan Motley (16) and Marko Guduric, who added 15 for Fenerbahce as the night wore on and the Turkish team found its rhythm through tenacious physical play.
From the opening minutes, Barcelona set the pace. They converted six of seven attempts and dominated the boards early, keeping Fenerbahce from seizing control at the start. Despite Itoudis calling timeout, Barça stretched their lead to 13-30 by the ten-minute mark, with Mirotic stamping his authority and Kalinic and Laprovittola also contributing early scoring.
Two late first-quarter threes from Wilbekin and a three-pointer by Pierre to begin the second quarter injected confidence for the Turkish side, narrowing the gap to 21-30 as the game progressed. The momentum began to shift, and Fenerbahce used its energy and individual brilliance to turn the tide.
Barcelona’s offense lost some flow amid increased resistance, and Fenerbahce stepped up on the pressure. The visitors adjusted and found more scoring options, aided by Wilbekin and Guduric, who repeatedly created opportunities for themselves and teammates, moving the score to 34-36 near the 18-minute mark. Calathes, a former Barcelona player, created a spark for the comeback, while Hayes-Davis’ late bucket kept the halftime tally tight at 37-40.
After the break, a Booker triple put Fenerbahce ahead for the first time, 47-46, with about 23 minutes played. Barcelona answered by attacking the painted area, but their attempts were met with resistance, and Guduric, Guduric’s counterpart Satoransky, and Mirotic traded baskets as the game stayed close, with the scoreboard showing 55-55 at 38 minutes.
The clash grew more physical in the second half, and Fenerbahce exploited its depth. They used robust defense and aggressive drives to pull ahead, closing the final stretch with Motley delivering power near the rim to cement a 61-56 edge. Barcelona struggled at the rim and faced a countdown that pressed them to force shots under tight coverage.
With Mirotic again stepping up, Barcelona briefly rallied to 67-68 late in the third, but Itoudis halted the momentum with strategic adjustments. The Turkish side finished stronger, riding Wilbekin and Guduric to a clear-lane finish and a final score of 81-73 for the hosts.
Data sheet:
81 – Fenerbahce (18+19+24+20): Guduric (15), Calathes (4), Hayes-Davis (10), Motley (16), Jekiri (2) -first team-, Wilbekin (12), Edwards (-), Bjelica (3), Mahmutoğlu (-) , Pierre (3), Dorsey (3) and Booker (13).
73 – Barcelona (30+10+16+17): Satoransky (14), Laprovittola (12), Kalinic (8), Mirotic (19), Vesely (11) -first team-, Da Silva (-), Illustrious (-), Abrines (-), Higgins (-), Tobey (7), Kuric (-) and Jokubaitis (2).
Referees: Sasa Pukl (ESL), Fernando Rocha (POR) and Uros Nikolic (SER). Not deleted.
Events: On the twenty-eighth day of the Euroleague, the match was played at Ülker Sports and Event Hall in Istanbul. Before tip-off, Barcelona player Vesely observed a minute of silence on his first away visit after eight seasons with Fenerbahçe.