Fenerbahçe Beko Istanbul will host Virtus Segafredo Bologna at the Ülker Sports and Event Hall Tuesday in a pivotal Round 13 clash of the 2025-26 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Tip-off is set for 8:45 p.m. local time (5:45 p.m. UTC) as both teams navigate a grueling 34-game regular season where the top six advance directly to the playoffs and seeds seven through ten face a Play-In tournament.
The Ülker Arena, with a capacity of more than 13,000, has been a fortress for Fenerbahçe in recent seasons.
Fenerbahçe enter the week in eighth place with a 7-5 record after 12 games.
Six months after capturing their second EuroLeague title in Abu Dhabi with an 81-70 victory over AS Monaco, the team under head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius has emphasized balanced scoring and elite perimeter defense.
Averaging 82.4 points while allowing 79.8, Fenerbahçe ranks seventh offensively and fifth defensively, showcasing their ability to control tempo and force turnovers.
Recent form signals a resurgence: the defending champs have gone 4-1 over their last five EuroLeague games, highlighted by road wins against Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem, alongside a defensive masterclass against ASVEL Villeurbanne.
Key contributors include guard Wade Baldwin IV, averaging 15.2 points and 5.8 assists, forward Mikael Jantunen’s two-way play at 12.4 points and 6.2 rebounds, veteran Nigel Hayes-Davis anchoring the paint with 11.8 points and 4.5 rebounds and Italian star Nicolo Melli providing versatility with 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Improved bench production, contributing over 32 points per game, has also been critical.
Virtus Bologna, under coach Dusan Albijanic, sits 12th with a 6-6 record, averaging 80.6 points while conceding 82.1.
The Italian side struggles with efficiency from beyond the arc and on the boards but remains dangerous, particularly on the road.
Their recent five-game stretch has been a rollercoaster, including a morale-boosting home upset over Barcelona and a tough loss to Anadolu Efes.
Leading the charge is guard Carsen Edwards with 16.8 points per game and 41.2 percent from three, alongside Luca Vildoza orchestrating the offense with 13.1 points and 5.6 assists, center Mouhamed Diouf dominating the glass with 7.4 rebounds per game and German forward Karim Jallow adding athleticism in transition with 11.6 points and 4.8 rebounds.
The head-to-head battle has been tight, with Fenerbahçe holding a narrow 5-4 edge in nine EuroLeague meetings since Virtus returned in 2022.
Their last encounter, a 82-79 thriller in January 2025, exemplified the close, low-scoring nature of these matchups.
