When fans have to choose: FIBA and EuroLeague games clash in 5 countries / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: FIBA, ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix | Basketnews collage Credit FIBA, ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix | Basketnews collage

This week will feature matches both from the EuroLeague and from FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. What does this mean for the fans around the world? Well, they will have to choose.

2-pointers this season

52%20,1Points made:20,1Accuracy:52,1%Place in standings:6Record max:28Record min:11Most made 2FGs:Lorenzo BrownTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

There are 5 countries whose clubs will play their EuroLeague matches on the same day and at almost the exact time when their respective national teams play. The countries include Lithuania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, and Italy.

Zalgiris Kaunas will play their match against Real Madrid at 19:00 CET on Thursday, meanwhile, the Lithuanian national team meets Bosnia and Herzegovina at 20:00 CET on the very same day.

Moving on, a EuroLeague powerhouse match between AX Armani Exchange Milan and Olympiacos Piraeus will have its match on the FIBA side as well. Italian national team will play against Iceland at 21:00 CET, only 15 minutes after the EuroLeague match will have started as Milan and Olympiacos are scheduled to play at 20:45 CET.

That same Thursday evening, Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz will meet UNICS Kazan at home in a crucial game for both teams. The match is scheduled to start at 20:45 CET. At the same time, a Spain national team will be playing against Ukraine starting at 21:30 CET.

Friday is scheduled to go on a brighter note - only one FIBA-EuroLeague game clash is scheduled to happen. Serbian fans will face a dilemma as the Serbian national team plays against Slovakia at 20:30 CET while Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade meets Panathinaikos OPAP Athens at 20:00 CET.

Finally, a rescheduled Round 19 match between two Euroleague powerhouses - CSKA Moscow and FC Barcelona - will have its competitor even on Sunday. The EuroLeague match starts at 15:30 CET, while the Russian national team plays against the Netherlands at 16:00 CET.

The European basketball fans are once again tasked with the difficult decision of choosing between the two most favorite basketball teams - their national team and their favorite club - just as they were before.

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