OUR OPPONENT

ASTANA (KAZAKHSTAN)

Founded in 2011
Team colors: blue and white
Honors: Kazakhstan National League winner (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), Kazakhstan National League silver (2016), Kazakhstan National Cup (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), VTB United League 1/4 finals (2015)
Arena: Arena Velotrack (capacity – 9270)
General Manager: Valery Tikhonenko
Official website: pbcastana.kz

Where to watch
LIVE: Match! Nash Sport (16:55, replay — 23:15), Sportbox.ru, VTB United League website
Text online: VTB United League website

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dusko Ivanovic, BC Khimki head coach:

“Astana is a very good team that plays very organised and has good system both defensively and offensively. They have experienced players and play with patience. I'm not surprised with their good result in the VTB League because if you look at their game you understand it; they are really good. We had a bad game in Munich without defense and energy. Now we must win this game. We don't have time to change many things. What we must change is not our spirit. I mean two games against Zenit and FC Bayern Munich we played with offensive spirit but not defensive one. But every game that we've won until now was because of strong defense. In last game we didn't show defense”.