EUROLEAGUE – Desperate CSKA square off against Panathinaikos

MOSCOW (Euroleague) - Panathinaikos and CSKA Moscow normally meet when titles are at stake in the Euroleague.

On Wednesday night, the Russian club hosts the Greens looking for just its second win of the season in Group D to keep its hopes of reaching the Top 16 alive.

One week after the departure of coach Dusko Vujosevic, CSKA (1-5) return to the Euroleague wars and they could hardly host a tougher opponent, especially with Pana coming off an upset defeat at home to Power Electronics Valencia that dropped them to 4-2.

The Russian giants are now being coached by Dimitry Shakulin.

CSKA's Lithuania international Ramunas Siskauskas, who went down with a back injury in the first meeting that Panathinaikos won, said of the meeting against his former team: "Everybody knows about our situation.

"We are in the position where we cannot afford any more losses.

"It is difficult and we face probably the most dangerous opponent – group favorite Panathinaikos.

"But we will fight and I hope to provide as much help to the team as I can."

Panathinaikos big man Mike Batiste says CSKA will be dangerous.

"It’s going to be a difficult game," he said.

"They replaced the coach, so I think it’s a kind of the same situation that Valencia had."

Svetislav Pesic replaced Manuel Hussein at Valencia and the clash with Pana in Athens was his first game in the Euroleague.

"Having a new coach may bring different kinds of plays, a different kind of system, so we are going to have to be careful and be concentrated for 40 minutes so we can recover from last week’s loss.

"They are fighting to stay alive, which is a little bit dangerous for us."

BC Khimki and Caja Laboral are also in dire need of a win as they play games in Group A.

Khimki (2-4) are at home against the surprising Partizan Belgrade (4-2) and Caja Laboral (2-4) host Asseco Prokom (1-5).

Partizan continue to be an amazing story, a side that has overcome the loss of key players, and coach Vujosevic in the summer, but remain a potent side.

The Serbian club has added Curtis Jerrells to the line-up to give them more scoring punch and his presence worries Khimki coach Sergio Scariolo.

"We respect our opponent a lot as a great traditional team that is at a high level and very ambitious proved by the fact they signed a contract with a new good player," Scariolo said.

Caja Laboral, meanwhile, have a very confident Croatia international center Stanko Barac heading into their game against Prokom.

Barac was named as the Spanish ACB's Player of the Month.

He is healthy this season and also benefitting from the departure of Tiago Splitter to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs.

"Without the presence of Tiago Splitter, I'm having a lot more minutes than last year and the coach's confidence in my interior game," Barac said.

"So far, I am doing very well and I will give 100% to keep it that way."

In Group C, Fenerbahce Ulker (5-1) host Cibona (0-6) and Montepaschi Siena (5-1) square off against Lietuvos Rytas (1-5).

FIBA