Dubai Basketball defeat Real Madrid and Barcelona within days to continue their winning run.
Dubai Basketball continued their perfect start to the 2026/27 EuroLeague season with a 94-87 victory over Spanish giants FC Barcelona at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday night.
Backed by a lively home crowd, Dubai took control of the contest in the second quarter, outscoring Barcelona 29-12. After trailing 25-23 at the end of the opening period, the hosts turned the game around to take a commanding 52-37 lead into half-time.
Barcelona fought back after the break, edging the third quarter 25-24 to reduce the deficit. Dubai, however, maintained their advantage heading into the decisive final period.
The Spanish side continued to push in the fourth quarter, but Dubai held their nerve under pressure. The hosts added 18 points in the final period to see out the game and secure an impressive seven-point victory.
Mfiondu Kabengele starred for Dubai Basketball, finishing with 21 points and six rebounds. He converted eight of his 11 attempts from the field and was perfect from three-point range, making all three of his shots from beyond the arc.
McKinley Wright and Dwayne Bacon contributed 14 points each as Dubai Basketball delivered a well-rounded offensive display against one of the biggest names in European basketball.
Head coach Xavi Pascual praised his players for maintaining their composure during a difficult second half, while also recognising the challenge posed by Barcelona.
“First of all, I want to thank all the fans who were here at Coca-Cola Arena today.
“For the first 28 minutes, we were leading by 20, but then Barcelona made a run and from there it became another game. Despite that, we were always leading and somehow controlling the score and the game, and we achieved an important win for us.”
Pascual also pointed to areas where his side can improve, including defensive rebounding and the use of fouls, as the team continues to develop.
“We have to understand that the opponent also played and they have a lot of quality. We lost a little bit of concentration and energy, and there were some mistakes in both offence and defence.
“But this is part of the process. Sometimes it happens. At least, we kept our standards, did the basic things and won.”
The result extends Dubai Basketball’s impressive opening to their second EuroLeague campaign and delivers another memorable victory in front of their home supporters at Coca-Cola Arena.
