As soon as Dubai suffered their first defeat in this season's EuroLeague, they dropped straight from first to eighth. The hosts will have a chance to climb back up when they face Crvena Zvezda 8 October 2026.
Dubai
Dubai had a cushion of just eight points on points difference, so their lead could hardly be described as comfortable. They also benefited from the fixture schedule. The team played their first two games against the Spanish giants at home at the Coca-Cola Arena: they edged past Real Madrid (78:77) and beat Barcelona a little more convincingly (94:87). Away from home, it was a very different story. When a team who are clearly no pushovers score just 66 points, it is a clear sign that they have fallen short in attack. Defeat against Fenerbahce duly followed (66:76).
Crvena Zvezda
Crvena Zvezda are not among the elite, but they cannot be classed as one of the weakest teams either. They are a solid mid-table outfit, both last season and at the start of this one: 12th place, with one win and two defeats. What sets the Belgrade team apart is that their scoring does not fall below a certain level: they scored 77 points against both Žalgiris and Anadolu Efes, and 80 against Hapoel Tel Aviv. That is even more than Dubai's recent opponents managed. Tighten up a little more in defence, and the wins will come more often.
Dubai vs Crvena Zvezda Prediction
We will avoid betting on the winner, although Dubai are clearly favourites for good reason. Instead, we will back the visitors' scoring. Regardless of the result, Crvena Zvezda have scored at least 82 points in each of their last five games against Dubai. Our prediction: Crvena Zvezda over 79.5 points.
