Panathinaikos: From the defeat to Aris to the battles with Real and AEK

Panathinaikos has no time to dwell on their first defeat in this year's Stoiximan GBL. After the 101-91 loss to Aris, the "Greens" turn their attention to the big European challenge against Real Madrid, followed by another demanding away game against AEK.

Alarm bells from the defense in Alexandrio

Zeljko Obradovic's team suffered their first league defeat, mainly due to poor defensive performance. Aris scored 101 points, had five players in double digits, and took control in the third quarter, scoring 33 points and leading 79-68.

Panathinaikos reacted and took the lead 85-84 in the 36th minute, but at the most crucial moment, they lost their concentration again. The Thessaloniki team closed the game with a 17-6 run and reached a 101-91 victory.

Gerson Yabusele was the top scorer for the "Greens" with 22 points, followed by Nigel Hayes-Davis and Mathias Lessort with 17 and 16 respectively. The offensive production, however, was not enough to cover the defensive problems.

Immediate reaction against Real

The defeat in Alexandrio came a few days after the 83-68 loss to Anadolu Efes, with Panathinaikos now having two consecutive negative results. The schedule offers no room for second thoughts, as the away match against Real Madrid follows on Wednesday (04/11, 21:45), for the 10th matchday of the Euroleague.

Despite the defeat in Istanbul, the "Greens" remain at the top of the competition with a 7-2 record. Real follows in fourth place with 6-3, having left behind their initial 0-3 and completed six consecutive European victories.

The Madrid team faces significant injury problems, as Mikael Jantunen and Theo Maledon are out of action, while Facundo Campazzo's participation remains doubtful. This does not change the difficulty of the mission for Panathinaikos, who will need much greater defensive consistency to leave the Movistar Arena with a positive result.

From Madrid to SUNEL Arena

After the European match, Panathinaikos will return to its domestic obligations. On Sunday (08/11, 13:00), they will face AEK at the SUNEL Arena, as part of the 6th matchday of the Stoiximan GBL.

The "Union" also comes from a defeat, having lost 95-84 to Vikos Falcons and dropped to 2-3. Panathinaikos is at 4-1 and will seek to return immediately to domestic victories, knowing that another away mission requires concentration and proper management of forces.

The upcoming period is an important test for the "Greens". The reaction after the defeats to Efes and Aris, as well as the performance in the two consecutive games with Real and AEK, will show how the team manages the first difficult period of the season.