Bayern doesn't lack much against the favorite Fener

Opportunity narrowly missed: The Bayern basketball team couldn't match title contender Fenerbahce Istanbul (4:1). Pablo Laso's team lost rather unluckily 67:76 (38:41) in front of a sold-out crowd, marking their third loss on the fifth EuroLeague matchday.

With 6,500 fans at the roaring BMW Park, including around 2,000 enthusiastic Turkish spectators, the Munich team struggled to maintain consistency and composure in their offensive plays from the middle of the third quarter. They battled their way back to 66:68 with a three-pointer from Obst before a bit of luck in the game was also lacking.

In just 45 hours, they will face the South Derby against Würzburg, and this match on Sunday (15:30 hrs/DYN) is already sold out. The next home games thereafter: on November 15th and 19th against Partizan Belgrade and Ludwigsburg, respectively.

Rebounds instead of three-pointers

Both teams were inspired by the atmosphere, and Bayern had the desired, energetic start and were immediately in the game - 20:14 (10 minutes in). However, the favorite, with top scorer Dorsey making his comeback, capitalized on Munich's search for success from beyond the arc - only 2 out of 12 after 13 minutes (22:29).

66:68 before the final minute

The themes remained the same: Bayern moved the ball well, secured many rebounds, but still struggled with their three-point shooting (32:41/18 attempts). Francisco, with eleven points by halftime, and a 10-0 run, brought them back to a 42:41 lead (23 minutes in).

Now it went back and forth, with tough foul calls and Istanbul's offensive rebounds disrupting the rhythm - and suddenly, the shots were falling only on their side: 47:58, with just under a quarter to go. However, Wilbekin (17), Guduric (14), and company managed to hang on to this lead ever so slightly, despite FCBB's impeccable fighting spirit.

Quotes:

Pablo Laso: "Congratulations to Fenerbahce for the victory. In the first half, we did a very good job, but we struggled to make open shots. To be honest, we played well, but you also have to score. Nevertheless, we were in the game, defended well, and rebounded effectively. In the second half, they had 14 offensive rebounds, and they completely outperformed us in that aspect. I believe that was crucial because we couldn't get our offense going and had very few second chances. However, we continued to fight, and Izzy had the opportunity to tie the game with a layup a minute and a half before the end. It speaks highly of the team's character, how they fought for the entire 40 minutes. We lost to a team with a lot of quality that was smarter in tight situations, while we were somewhat hesitant. Defensively, we were very good.

There's nothing to criticize about the players; we need to learn from this. We feel that we couldn't control the rhythm of the game and maybe forced things at times. Their backcourt is obviously of the highest level with Wilbekin, Calathes, and Guduric. I'm confident that my team will continue to improve. At 35, it was tough for me to play better. But when you're younger, you continue to learn. Certainly, players like Bolmaro or Sylvain need to make better decisions; they both have a lot of talent. Both are still young and, like the entire team, need to adjust."

Isaac Bonga: "Today, it was evident that we need to be better, especially in the closing stages, and make better decisions. Against a team like this, you can't afford to make small mistakes, and we will definitely review what went wrong and make corrections for next time. Offensively, we need to take our time, minimize turnovers, and understand where our strengths lie."

Serge Ibaka: "It was a good game tonight. We competed at a high level. We made a few mistakes that cost us the game, but overall, it was a good game. Towards the end, we had some opportunities to score in the offense but didn't capitalize on them. We had to foul a lot, and Fenerbahce had many free throws. However, we can learn a lot from this loss. It's still early in the season, and sometimes you win these games, and sometimes you lose them. Personally, I feel very good after 4 weeks. I'm getting better, and my conditioning is improving. I just try to play hard and help my team."