Olimpia Milano looks to extend streak against Crvena Zvezda

After a perfect week with four wins in four games across the domestic league and EuroLeague, Olimpia Milano is preparing for a new European challenge. Following victories over Panathinaikos and Efes, one of the most important games of the season awaits at the former Palalido: Crvena Zvezda Belgrade arrives with the same record – 11 wins and 10 losses – as the "Scarpette Rosse".
Milano holds the advantage from the first game against Crvena: Shields and his teammates were one of only three teams to beat them in Belgrade this season (where the Serbs are 8–3). On the road, the Belgrade side has lost five of their last six games. The team is capable of scoring in many ways, boasting wings like Chima Moneke, Nikola Kalinic, Semi Ojeleye, and leading scorer Jordan Nwora.

Olimpia Milano Injury Report
No new updates for Milano, as the emergency situation has eased. Quinn Ellis and Shavon Shields have returned - Ellis played against Efes, Shields against Napoli Basket on Monday. Coach Peppe Poeta has nearly a full rotation, with Marko Guduric returning after a rest day in the domestic league. Currently, only Stefano Tonut, Nate Sestina, and Ousmane Diop remain sidelined.

Coach Peppe Poeta on the Game
“We expect a very tough game against a Crvena Zvezda team with great talent and depth. It will be important to maintain defensive continuity, especially in the first seconds of each possession, to avoid getting hurt against their transition game. Our goal is to continue our positive momentum, and for that, the involvement of our fans will be key,” said the Olimpia Milan head coach ahead of Thursday’s game, scheduled for 8:30 PM CET at the Allianz Cloud in Milan.

Olimpia vs. Crvena Zvezda: History
In 1972, Simmenthal Milano defeated Crvena Zvezda 74–70 in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in Thessaloniki, with 23 points from Arthur Kenney, the virtual MVP of the competition. The teams also met in the quarterfinal group stage with two one-sided wins for the home team. They clashed again in the 1973 European Champions Cup, with two more Simmenthal victories.
In 1984/85, Olimpia eliminated Crvena Zvezda in the Korac Cup semifinals, winning even in Belgrade 100–99, and later lifted the trophy against Varese. Two wins also came in the 1988/89 Korac Cup.
In EuroLeague, Crvena Zvezda won six consecutive meetings in 2016/17, 2017/18, 2019/20 (only one game), and the 2020/21 Milan match. Olimpia broke the streak with a win in Belgrade in the 2020/21 return match, extending their winning streak to six, including a 93–71 win with 32 points from Maodo Lo in 2023/24.
Last season, Olimpia won both games: 101–86 in Milan (23 points Nikola Mirotic, 20 Nico Mannion) and 82–80 in Belgrade. This season’s opener saw another win, 92–82, with 21 points from Zach LeDay. Overall, the record stands at 15–8 in favor of Olimpia, including 6–5 in Milan, 8–3 in Belgrade, and 1–0 at neutral venues.

Former Players in Focus
- Lorenzo Brown played for Crvena Zvezda in 2019/20, appearing in 27 EuroLeague games and scoring 332 points.
- Marko Guduric grew up at Crvena Zvezda, playing two EuroLeague seasons from 2015 to 2017 with 53 appearances and 395 points. With the Serbian club, he won two Serbian league titles and two Adriatic League titles.