A highly-anticipated Euroleague showdown is set to take place in Barcelona, Spain, where Regal FCB welcomes Panathinaikos in Group B on Thursday. Even though these teams have only faced each other 14 times in the past, Barcelona and Panathinaikos have become archrivals since the 1996 Euroleague final, one of the most controversial games in European club basketball history. Panathinaikos edged Barcelona 67-66 to win the first of its four Euroleague titles. Barcelona, a Euroleague winner in 2003, has fully reloaded its roster with former All-Euroleague first team selections such as Juan Carlos Navarro and David Andersen. Panathinaikos kept its core of players while adding Nikola Pekovic, Drew Nicholas and Antonis Fotsis.

Zalgiris vs. Montepaschi Siena

MATCH PREVIEW

A couple of classic Euroleague teams will take center stage in Kaunas, Lithuania, when Zalgiris welcomes Montepaschi Siena in Group B on Thursday. Zalgiris opened the 2008-09 Euroleague season with a 78-51 road loss against Panathinaikos. Meanwhile, Montepaschi Siena registered a 80-71 home win over Asseco Prokom. There is some good news for Zalgiris, as Paulius Jankunas is back in action and already played in the Lithuanian League this weekend. Jankunas is set to offer post skills and deep shooting range to a strong frontcourt that also features a trio of experienced centers in Loren Woods, Ratko Varda and veteran Eurelijus Zukauskas. Woods pulled down 16 boards against Panathinaikos last week to lead the Euroleague. Zukauskas and versatile forward Tomas Masiulis helped Zalgiris to win the Euroleague back in 1999.

Armani Jeans Milano hosts Efes Pilsen in an important early season battle between two teams with some history between them. Milano and Efes met in the 1996 Korac Cup finals, which Efes won by a single point after tow games for its first European trophy. But the focus on Wednesday will be a lot more modern as both teams eagerly hunt for victory. Milano comes into the game in rough shape as injuries have depleted a roster that already struggled last week on the road against the reigning champs. CSKA handed Milano a 90-64 loss last week and now Milano could take the floor without two of its most important players. Guard Massimo Bulleri is sidelined with a finger injury and big man Pape Sow is questionable and suffering a foot injury in the Italian League. Moreover, small forward Luca Vitali remains out with a knee problem. Meanwhile Efes opened its Euroleague season with a narrow 61-60 home win over Partizan Belgrade. Efes is also banged up. Center Mario Kasun has a wrist injury and is out, while former Milano shooter Preston Shumpert is a question mark with an ankle injury. Kasun’s absence hurt the club last week as it was outrebounded 20-43. The bright news came in the form of Milos Vujanic, who paced the offense with 17 points for his highest scoring Euroleague game in three-and-a-half years. Vujanic will join forces with Charles Smith, Bootsy Thornton and Ender Arslan to challenge the Milano backcourt of David Hawkins, Jobey Thomas, Yohann Sangare and sharpshooter Marco Mordente.