After seeing their impressive EuroLeague winning streak snapped by a loss to Dubai, Hapoel Tel Aviv will look to get back on track when they face Barcelona on Thursday (20:45 Israel time) in what promises to be a major test for the Reds with both teams sporting 6-3 records.

Dimitris Itoudis’ squad will enter the contest looking to put the Dubai disappointment behind them after enjoying an impressive run in Europe. Hapoel will also carry some momentum from a convincing Israeli League derby victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv, but will need a complete performance against one of the EuroLeague’s most talented teams.

Ahead of the matchup, Hapoel Head Coach Dimitris Itoudis spoke about the challenge Barcelona presents and the adjustments his team will need to make.

“We will be playing against a new and regenerated Barcelona. They run the floor very well and prioritize transition points, whether it is after scoring, misses or turnovers. They are very athletic, both their bigs and guards, and overall this is a new Barcelona that we need to match in terms of energy and athleticism for 40 minutes.”

Eugene German emphasized the importance of staying united and executing the game plan throughout the contest, “As long as we stay together, play hard and play as one team, and stick to our game plan, we’ll be fine.”

Amir Coffey echoed those sentiments, pointing to the importance of maintaining Hapoel’s identity against a high-scoring opponent, “We have to stick to our style of play and stay united. We’re facing an excellent team that scores a lot of points, but we’ll make the necessary adjustments and play our brand of basketball.”

Hapoel guard Elijah Bryant also addressed the team’s recent loss to Dubai, while highlighting the importance of building on the derby victory and making sure the team is ready for another demanding EuroLeague assignment.

“We had a tough loss against Dubai, but the important thing is that [Tomas] Satoransky is okay and healthy. We will try to get back to winning ways in the EuroLeague after a great [Israeli League] win against Maccabi Tel Aviv, but for that we will need 40 minutes of focus and to stick to the coaches’ plan.”

Barcelona, meanwhile, will arrive in the matchup with plenty of confidence of its own. Head Coach Aleksander Sekulic recognizes the quality of the opponent and the challenge awaiting his team, particularly against a Hapoel squad that has already made a significant impression in its first part of the EuroLeague campaign.

“It’s a big test. It’s a great team. They have a lot of experience and highly skilled players. They know exactly what they want to do on offense, and they can be really good on defense as well. They are a team that has shown a lot in this first part of the season, especially in the EuroLeague. They beat Panathinaikos, handing them their first loss, so they’re a really good team. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, a big test.”

Barcelona guard Agustin Ubal also acknowledged the difficulty of the matchup, while expressing confidence in his team’s recent progress.

“We’ve been putting some wins together and we’re delighted with the work we’ve been putting in, but it’s going to be a tough game against Hapoel. We’ve been preparing for the game over the last two days, and we feel ready for the challenge ahead of us.”

With both teams looking to continue building momentum, Thursday’s showdown promises to be a fascinating matchup. For Hapoel, the priorities will be clear: match Barcelona’s athleticism, limit its opportunities in transition and maintain the focus and intensity that have made the Reds one of the EuroLeague’s most dangerous teams this season.