Cedevita Olimpija open BKT EuroCup season at home against BAXI Manresa

The senior team of Cedevita Olimpija is set for the first round of the BKT EuroCup regular season. On Wednesday at 18:30, Stožice Arena will host Spanish side BAXI Manresa, as head coach Zvezdan Mitrović’s men chase their first victory of the new campaign in front of home fans. Doors will open at 17:30, with … Continued

After officially opening the 2025/26 season by winning the Slovenian SuperCup in Polzela against Krka Novo mesto, Cedevita Olimpija now faces their first home challenge of the year – this time in the EuroCup. The clash with Manresa tips off on Wednesday at 18:30, with doors opening one hour earlier.

RETRO NIGHT – OLDIES GOLDIES

In addition to the action on the court, plenty of entertainment awaits basketball fans off it. The evening at Stožice will run under the slogan Oldies Goldies, and fans are invited to come dressed in their retro gear – jerseys, scarves, caps, or any fan items from past seasons are more than welcome!

ARRIVAL & TRANSPORT

To avoid congestion in the Stožice parking garage, all visitors are advised to arrive early – at least 45 minutes before tip-off – and preferably use public transport. With a game ticket, fans can ride Ljubljanski potniški promet buses free of charge three hours before and after the game.

For those arriving by car, parking is available at nearby lots (Žale I–V, Kranjčeva, Gosarjeva). The Stožice garage will be open until full capacity is reached.

TICKETS

Tickets are available at vstopnice.olimpija.com, Eventim Slovenia, and Petrol gas stations across the country.
The box office and arena doors open at 17:30. The NLB “Fast Lane” will again be in operation, allowing quicker entry for visitors who present an NLB bank card.

FAN ZONE & ARENA ACTIVITIES

The European season opener will be held in a retro atmosphere. A special Green Ring will light up the arena, while the speakers will play a mix of legendary songs from past decades that have accompanied the club’s greatest moments.

The Fan Zone opens at 17:30 with activities for all ages. Kids can try shooting hoops, color fan drawings, create banners, and get their faces painted in club colors. At the Cedevita corner, fans will receive special promo gifts. Renault and Pleško Cars will set up a children’s playground, while cars will be on display outside the arena (weather permitting). There will also be fun at the Spar Slovenia Pong, a “Score or Not” challenge, and even a Sole Cleanic station for sneaker cleaning.

During the game, entertainment continues:

A presentation by the One Team project (for which Cedevita Olimpija received a EuroLeague silver award in 2024/25).
Prize giveaways with the Cedevita Lucky Seat.
At breaks, fans can join the Triglav Insurance Half-Court Shot and the Spar Slovenia Free Throw Contest.
At halftime, the club will honor its youth national team players, proudly following in the footsteps of their idols.

Arrive early, take your seats, and enjoy a fan experience that will make the first European night at Stožice in 2025/26 unforgettable! Let Stožice shine again in the colors and energy that unite generations of Cedevita Olimpija supporters.

TV BROADCAST

The game will be broadcast live on Šport TV 1, with studio coverage starting at 17:45.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Zvezdan Mitrović, head coach:
“From the start of preparations, I have emphasized that we have very little time to get to know each other better. We’ve played only one game with a full roster – against Trieste. Unfortunately, we also lost Luka Brajković to injury before the Manresa game, which is especially painful for us, because every player is crucial in our situation. One of the most attractive teams of last season’s Spanish league is coming to us. They are the fastest team in the league, executing the most fast breaks per game. Most of their plays are built out of transition, which is a big challenge for us. Their system requires players who enjoy playing fast basketball – and they have found them. We analyzed some of their preseason games, and they were outstanding in the Catalan Cup. For us, this will be a very demanding game, especially because of the high tempo that Manresa maintains for the full 40 minutes. Defensively, we will need to respond firmly, particularly on the center line, since they have several big men who like to run. They use all 12 players in their rotation. Our guys are working very well, but none of the newcomers have experience playing at the EuroCup level.”

Aleksej Nikolić, player of Cedevita Olimpija:
“This is a classic Spanish team that likes to play fast basketball and finish possessions quickly. Defensively, they are very aggressive and try to force the opponent into mistakes and turnovers, which they turn into their transition game. Our task will be to slow down the tempo and play smart. I’m excited about the new season. We have quite a few fresh faces who came to Ljubljana with the goal of taking their careers to a higher level, so they are eager to prove themselves. In practices, I can see they are diligent, hardworking, and motivated to show themselves through good performances and results. Of course, they will need some time to adapt to coach Mitrović’s way of working, so we must take it game by game and prove ourselves each time with the right approach and energy. We can’t wait to step onto the court in front of our fans. On this occasion, I invite everyone to join us in Stožice. We need you, we need your energy, so that together we can achieve as many wins as possible.”

Thomas Kennedy, player of Cedevita Olimpija:
“We have a really interesting group in the EuroCup, and on the first game we face a very strong opponent who will show us where we currently stand. We’ll need to play carefully on both ends of the floor and show what kind of team we can be this season. I’m really excited to experience the atmosphere of our home games for the first time. I’ve only heard stories about it from previous seasons. I hope as many fans as possible will come out to support us, because they can give us extra energy, and we want to give back with a win in the opening game.”

GAME PREVIEW

BAXI Manresa will compete in the new EuroCup format for the first time in club history this season. Still, European competitions are not new to them – they played in the FIBA EuroCup in 1996/97, in the EuroLeague two years later, and five times in the Korac Cup. The pinnacle of their domestic history came in 1997/98, when Manresa became Spanish champions. Over the past decade, they have been regulars in the Basketball Champions League, reaching the final in 2021/22 and the Round of 16 last year.

They enter the European campaign fresh off winning their fourth Catalan League title. In the final, they defeated Joventut 83–79 in a thrilling finish, with Hugo Benitez tipping the balance with 14 points. They closed preparations with a narrow 86–85 loss to MoraBanc Andorra – a good test before the European stage.

Benitez will again be a key figure for Manresa. The French guard is one of the most experienced players in EuroCup competition – before coming to Spain, he spent five seasons in the competition with JL Bourg, reaching the 2023/24 EuroCup final.

Cedevita Olimpija, meanwhile, enters the new EuroCup season after a successful 2024/25 campaign, in which the Dragons reached the quarterfinals before narrowly falling to Turkish side Bahçeşehir. The team, refreshed with many new faces, began preparations in mid-August, recording four wins in eight preseason games despite multiple absences due to national team duties.

The roster was finally complete only shortly before the Slovenian SuperCup, which the Dragons won dramatically against Krka. Unfortunately, preparations for Manresa were disrupted by the injury of Luka Brajković, who suffered a severe ankle sprain and will be sidelined long-term.

BKT EUROCUP, REGULAR SEASON, ROUND 1

Stožice Arena (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Wednesday, October 1, 18:30:
CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA – BAXI MANRESA

LOOKING AHEAD

On Sunday, the Dragons return to Stožice at 17:00 to face Mega Superbet in the opening round of the AdmiralBet ABA League. The matchup will carry a special humanitarian note, as the club will collect supplies and food for puppies and adult dogs. Donations can be brought to the green Fan Zone area. Doors open at 16:00, and tickets are already available at vstopnice.olimpija.com.