Surne Bilbao will play in Thessaloniki the first match to win the FIBA Europa Cup again against the PAOK

Surne Bilbao will play on Wednesday at the Palataki Pavilion in Thessaloniki, from 18:15, the first round of the FIBA Europa Cup final, a double match against the PAOK .

Thegoal of the "men in black" will be to get out alive from the court where they achieved glory last season to finish the final in the Bilbao Arena that will be up to the top next week; there are no more tickets left for that game.

The situation of the champion, the order of the games, which is exactly the opposite of that of 2025, and the excellent role that Jaume Ponsarnau's team has played in the tournament, give them a slight advantage over a rival they have faced this season in two second-stage matches, which ended with the billiards' victories.

However, it is a rising PAOK, very different from the team two months ago. Last month the Slovenian Jure Zdovc was dismissed and his position was taken by Pantelis Boutskos , who is working as interim coach to take office next season by Andrea Trincheri .

The interiors Ben Moore and Cleveland Melvin , the Lithuanian eel Tomas Dimisa and escort Patric Beverley , a player with more than 700 NBA matches, form the backbone of a tough and competitive PAOK with the Greek base Antonis Koniaris.

The ability to run and give the game a high pace will depend to a large extent on the chances of leading the final of a Surne Bilbao that has more offensive talent on paper than the Greek team. Surne Bilbao travels to Greece with Darrun Hilliard recovered from his muscle problem on his right leg; Kepa Castro and Aimar Mintegi will complete an expedition of 14 players, from which Ponsarnau will have to exclude a player from the European Union.