CSKA MOSCOW (RUSSIA)

Founded in 1923
Team colors: red and blue
Honors: Champion of Euroleague (2006, 2008, 2016, 2019), Champion of European Cup for men's champion clubs (1961, 1963, 1969, 1971), Champion of VTB United League (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), Champion of Russia (1992-2000, 2003-2019), Champion of USSR (1945, 1960-1962, 1964-1966, 1969-1974, 1976-1984, 1988, 1990), Russian Cup (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010), USSR Cup (1972, 1973, 1982), Champion of NEBL (2000)
Arena: Megasport Arena (capacity – 13344)
Head coach: Dimitris Itoudis
President: Andrey Vatutin
Official website: www.cskabasket.com

WHERE TO WATCH

LIVE: Match TV (19:30), Match! Igra (19:30, replay at 00:05), Match! Strana (replay at 23:30), EuroLeague TV, matchtv.ru
Text online: EuroLeague website

GAME NOTES

Slava Zaytsev will play his 200th game ever for Khimki.

Sergey Monia, Egor Vialtsev and Alexey Shved played for CSKA Moscow earlier.

Petr Gubanov and Semen Antonov were teammates in Nizhny Novgorod in season 2013/2014.

Timofey Mozgov and Kosta Koufos played for Denver Nuggets in season 2011/2013.

Janis Timma, Dairis Bertans and Janis Strelnieks play for Latvian national team.

Last season Timma and Strelnieks were teammates in Olympiacos Piraeus. In season 2017/2018 Timma and Voigtmann played for KIROLBET Baskonia Victoria-Gasteiz.

In season 2009/2010 Bertans and Strelnieks played for Latvian Ventspils.

Khimki head coach and a former playing great Rimas Kurtinaitis was the first Lithuanian player to wear a CSKA Moscow uniform, playing there in the 1981/1982 season.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Rimas Kurtinaitis, Khimki Moscow Region head coach:

“Our main problem is just the same as Kramer and Jovic are still injured, so we have to make some changes at the point guard position. In this regard, I’m satisfied how Slava Zaytsev plays but we still do not have enough point guards. For us, all games are important, and before the matchup with CSKA we do not focus on the fact that this is our main opponent. They are a very good team, a current EuroLeague champion, even though they had big changes in the roster. At the moment it is not easy for them, like for us, as they are searching for optimal game combinations. Of course, we will fight and want to win, but we are preparing for CSKA as a regular EuroLeague team”.

Sergey Karasev, Khimki Moscow Region forward:

“Everyone is determined and ready to put on a fight. I think everyone is waiting for this game, both the players and the fans, as this is the first battle between Khimki and CSKA this season. At the moment, CSKA is playing the EuroLeague much better than the VTB League, so we need to approach this game with full concentration, dedication and give more than one hundred percent from our effort. I try to ignore the thoughts that this is my first EuroLeague game ever. I’m just tuning in a like a normal game. Hopefully, everything will be okay with my nerves”.