On Thursday our team plays its first game in the Euroleague Top 16. The schedule have sent CSKA to Istanbul for the second time in 2009 to meet Fenerbahce-Ulker.
Unfortunately, the sad tradition of losses continued. Matjaz Smodis had to stay in Moscow after spraining the ankle for the third time this year during evening practice on Tuesday.
“We start the Top 16 against a very good team coached by Bogdan Tanjevic whom I know very well from our meetings in Italian league, - CSKA head coach Ettore Messina said. - All the games on this stage will be difficult and for us the game in Istanbul will be even more difficult because of the absence of Smodis. The positive things are that Holden returned to practices and Planinic will play surely.”
Fenerbahce players also has some health problems. Center Amer Acik will not play definitely because of knee injury. Turkish media also inform that former CSKA players Gordan Giricek and Mirsad Turkcan, who missed the games in January, will dress for the game.
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