Barcelona beat Anadolu Efes 89-82 at Palau Blaugrana on September 24, 2026, in the first week of the 2026-27 EuroLeague, recovering from an early deficit after Efes opened with a 17-4 run. Tip-off was around 20:30-21:30 local time, and major sports channels in Spain and Turkey broadcast the game. FC Barcelona’s official report called the comeback from a 15-point hole the turning point and said a strong second-half surge set the tone for the new EuroLeague season.
Efes came out swinging, jumping to a 13-4 lead before pushing it to 17-4. The visitors led 25-16 at the end of the first quarter, setting the pace and quieting the home fans. Barcelona erased the gap with a big second-half run. It was Anadolu Efes’s 666th EuroLeague game, and the Turkish club entered with a record of 349 wins and 316 losses.
Momentum shifted in the second quarter. Efes still led 34-24 halfway through, but Barcelona chipped away before taking a 45-44 lead at halftime. Independent live match centers recorded the quarter scores as 16-25, 29-19, 18-23 and 26-15.
The third quarter was a slugfest, with both teams trading baskets. Five minutes in, the score was tied at 55, and Efes edged ahead 67-63 by the end of the period. Barcelona found another gear in the fourth, outscoring Efes 26-15 to seal the win. The club’s Spanish-language news called it "the first great night at the Palau."
Barcelona’s attack was balanced. Dario Brizuela led with 20 points, while Kevin Punter added 19. Justin Robinson reached double figures, as did Olek Balcerowski and Umoja Gibson. Efes relied on Mike James, who scored 22, while Dario Saric put up 17 and Matthew Strazel had 12. Efes’s bench faded late, and Barcelona’s depth made the difference. Both the official Barcelona report and Turkish sports coverage published these statistics.
Sasa Pukl officiated the game alongside Maxime Boubert and Ioannis Tiganis. The Palau crowd was loud. Each quarter brought a different turn: Efes’s hot start, Barcelona’s second-quarter push, a tight third and a final burst from the hosts.
Barcelona showed it could dig out of a hole and finish strong, while Efes flashed talent before losing its way. The EuroLeague’s first week is already full of drama. This game showed how quickly a lead can disappear.
