One of Europe’s most decorated coaches joins Dubai Basketball.
Dubai: Following a historic season, Dubai Basketball have appointed one of Europe’s most successful coaches, with Xavi Pascual signing a three-year contract to become head coach until 2029.
Pascual arrives at the club after guiding FC Barcelona to the 2025/26 Liga ACB Finals, bringing over 20 years of experience coaching at the highest level of European basketball.
Pascual’s appointment comes after Dubai Basketball’s ABA League championship triumph and historic first EuroLeague season, underlining the club’s ambition to compete among Europe’s elite teams.
During his career, Pascual has managed several of Europe’s biggest clubs, including FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos Athens and Zenit Saint Petersburg. His impressive record includes a EuroLeague championship, seven domestic league titles and one of the best winning percentages in EuroLeague history.
The newly appointed head coach spoke about his move to Dubai Basketball, describing the opportunity as a challenge that strongly motivates him. “Joining Dubai Basketball is a challenge that really inspires me. This is a club with great ambition and a clear vision for the future,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to working with the players, helping the team continue its development and creating a winning culture. We understand the expectations are high, and we will give our best to compete for championships,” Pascual said.
A career defined by success
Pascual began his head coaching journey with FC Barcelona in 2008, spending eight-and-a-half seasons at the club and establishing himself as one of its most successful coaches. During his tenure, he guided Barcelona to the 2009/10 EuroLeague championship, four Spanish League titles and several domestic trophies.
He later took charge of Panathinaikos Athens before joining Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2020. Across five seasons in Russia, Pascual led Zenit to its first-ever EuroLeague Playoff appearance, further cementing his reputation as one of Europe’s top basketball coaches.
In November 2025, Pascual made his return to FC Barcelona, leading the club to the Liga ACB Finals before taking on the new challenge of becoming head coach of Dubai Basketball.
Across his coaching career, Pascual has overseen 385 EuroLeague games, securing 256 victories and achieving a 66.5 per cent winning rate — the third-highest in EuroLeague history among coaches with more than 100 games.
His list of achievements includes one EuroLeague Coach of the Year award and seven domestic Coach of the Year honours across league competitions in Spain, Greece and Russia.
Pascual joins Dubai Basketball with a clear objective: to bring his championship-winning experience to the team and help deliver the club’s ambition of becoming title contenders across every competition.
