Will Anadolu Efes Continue Continue Their Winning Run? Crvena Zvezda vs Anadolu Efes Prediction | October 1, 2026
KK Crvena zvezda Belgrade
Anadolu Efes SK
The third round of the EuroLeague takes place on October 1, with Crvena Zvezda hosting Anadolu Efes at Beogradska Arena. The Serbian side has lost both of its opening games, while Efes comes into the matchup after recording two consecutive wins.
Match Preview
Crvena Zvezda finished last season's EuroLeague regular season in 10th place with a 21–17 record. The Serbian side advanced to the Play-In, but its campaign ended with a defeat to Barcelona. At home, however, Crvena Zvezda was much stronger, winning 13 of 19 games.
The domestic season ended without a trophy, as Crvena Zvezda lost to Spartak Subotica in the Serbian SuperLeague semifinals and Partizan in the AdmiralBet ABA League semifinals.
The new EuroLeague campaign has started poorly. Crvena Zvezda have lost both of their opening games, with both defeats coming at home. They first fell to Zalgiris 77–83 before losing 80–81 to Hapoel Tel Aviv. Jared Butler led the team with 19 points against Hapoel, while Chris Jones recorded 15 points, two rebounds and eight assists in the opener against Zalgiris.
The wider recent form is also concerning, with Crvena Zvezda winning just two of their last 10 games, including preseason fixtures. However, their home record against Anadolu Efes offers some encouragement. The Serbian side have won four of the last five meetings between the teams in Belgrade, including a 91–81 victory last season.
Anadolu Efes also had a disappointing 2025/26 EuroLeague campaign, finishing 19th with only 12 wins from 38 games. On the road in the EuroLeague, Efes won just five of 19 games. They were also eliminated in the Turkish league semifinals by Fenerbahce, losing the series 1–3.
The start of the new season has been considerably more positive. Efes opened their EuroLeague campaign with an 82–89 defeat at Barcelona, but responded with two consecutive victories. They beat Besiktas 95–81 in the opening round of the Turkish Basketball Super League before producing an impressive 94–84 home win over Real Madrid in the EuroLeague. PJ Dozier led Efes with 18 points, while Matthew Strazel and Mike James added 14 and 12 respectively.
The overall head-to-head record remains perfectly balanced, with five wins apiece across the last 10 meetings. Crvena Zvezda did win both games last season, although Efes had previously won three consecutive meetings.
Key Trends
- Crvena Zvezda have lost their first two EuroLeague games of the season.
- Crvena Zvezda have won just 2 of their last 10 games, including preseason.
- Crvena Zvezda have won 4 of their last 5 home meetings with Anadolu Efes.
- Anadolu Efes have won their last 2 games.
- The last 10 meetings between the teams are split 5–5.
Prediction
Crvena Zvezda will be highly motivated to finally get their first EuroLeague win after losing their opening two games, and the home court could keep the matchup competitive. Their strong record against Efes in Belgrade is another reason not to expect an easy game for the visitors. However, Anadolu Efes arrive with considerably better momentum. After losing at Barcelona, the Turkish side responded with wins over Besiktas and Real Madrid. Crvena Zvezda should have enough at home to stay within striking distance, but Efes' current form makes a comfortable margin for the hosts difficult to justify. Recommended Bet: Anadolu Efes +6.5 Asian Handicap
