Can Virtus Bologna Secure Its First EuroLeague Win? Virtus Bologna vs Olympiacos Prediction | October 1, 2026
Virtus Bologna
BC Olympiakos Piraeus
The third round of the new EuroLeague season brings Virtus Bologna and Olympiacos together in Italy. The hosts are still searching for their first EuroLeague victory of the campaign, while the reigning champions have made a strong start and arrive in Bologna after consecutive wins in the competition.
Match Preview
Virtus Bologna comes into the game after a narrow 87-85 defeat to Olimpia Milano. The Italian side led before the final quarter but was unable to protect its advantage in the closing stages. Aliou Diarra was Virtus' leading scorer with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The result was Virtus' second defeat to Olimpia Milano this season after also losing to the same opponent in the Italian Super Cup. The team also opened its EuroLeague campaign with a 78-68 away defeat to Fenerbahce.
Virtus have therefore won only one of their four official games this season, with their sole victory coming against Varese in the Italian league.
Last season, Virtus finished without a domestic trophy after losing to Venezia in the Italian league semifinals. The team also struggled in the EuroLeague, finishing 17th in the regular season with 14 wins and 24 defeats. At home, Virtus won nine of its 19 EuroLeague games.
The recent home meetings with Olympiacos have also been difficult for the Italian side. Virtus have won only one of their last seven home games against the Greek club, while Olympiacos have won the other six. Last season, the visitors also prevailed in Bologna, winning 97-94.
Olympiacos enters the new campaign as the reigning EuroLeague champion after also winning the Greek championship last season. The Greek side defeated Panathinaikos in the domestic final to complete an impressive campaign.
The start of the new season was not perfect, as Olympiacos beat Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague Super Cup semifinal before losing 93-89 to Real Madrid in the final. The team has responded well since then, however, winning its EuroLeague opener against Baskonia 106-89 before adding the Greek Super Cup to its trophy cabinet.
Olympiacos then continued its EuroLeague campaign with a narrow 93-91 victory away to Zalgiris. Evan Fournier led the team with 19 points, while Sasha Vezenkov added 18 points and eight rebounds. Newcomer Jean Montero also contributed 15 points, three rebounds and seven assists.
Olympiacos' offensive numbers have been particularly notable at the start of the season. The Greek side has scored at least 90 points in five of its first six official games, with the only exception coming in the 93-89 Super Cup final defeat to Real Madrid. Virtus should also have opportunities to contribute offensively. This will be the Italian side's first EuroLeague home game of the season.
Key Trends
- Virtus are still searching for their first EuroLeague win of the season.
- Virtus have lost 3 of their 4 official games this season.
- Virtus have lost 6 of their last 7 home meetings with Olympiacos.
- Olympiacos have scored at least 90 points in 5 of their first 6 official games this season.
- Virtus have lost the last 6 meetings between the teams.
Prediction
Olympiacos have started the season with one of the most consistent offensive outputs among the teams involved in this matchup. The Greek side has repeatedly reached the 90-point mark, including in both of its EuroLeague games so far. Virtus have struggled for results, but their recent games have still offered plenty of scoring. The hosts scored 85 points against Olimpia Milano. Playing their first EuroLeague home game of the season should also encourage Virtus to take a more aggressive approach offensively. The recent head-to-head record adds another interesting factor. Olympiacos have controlled the matchup in Bologna in recent years, but the games have also produced high scores, including last season's 97-94 result. With Olympiacos in strong offensive form and Virtus likely to look for a more productive performance in front of its home crowd, the conditions are favorable for another high-scoring encounter. Recommended Bet: Over 165 Total Points
