Barcelona fought back to beat Anadolu Efes 89-82 in the first week of the 2026-27 EuroLeague. The Turkish team started strong, but Barcelona took over late at Palau Blaugrana.
Efes came out swinging. They jumped to a 13-4 lead and pushed it to 17-4. By the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard read 25-16 for the visitors. Barcelona looked rattled. The Turkish side set the pace and kept the home fans quiet. FC Barcelona’s official report called the comeback from a 15-point hole the turning point. The hosts erased the gap with a big second-half run.
This was Anadolu Efes's 666th EuroLeague game, with the Turkish club entering the contest holding a record of 349 wins and 316 losses.
Momentum shifted in the second quarter. Efes still led 34-24 halfway through, but Barcelona started to claw back. They chipped away and snatched a 45-44 lead at halftime. Efes lost their grip. Barcelona showed they would not fold at home. Independent live match centers confirmed the quarter scores: 16–25, 29–19, 18–23, and 26–15. The swings were wild.
The third quarter was a slugfest. Both teams traded baskets. Five minutes in, it was tied at 55. Efes edged ahead 67-63 by the end of the period. The tension was thick. Then Barcelona found another gear. They outscored Efes 26-15 in the fourth. That sealed it. The club’s Spanish-language news called it "the first great night at the Palau." The crowd felt it. The comeback mattered.
Barcelona’s attack was balanced. Dario Brizuela led with 20 points. Kevin Punter added 19. Justin Robinson, Olek Balcerowski, and Umoja Gibson all hit double digits. Efes leaned on Mike James, who scored 22. Dario Saric put up 17. Matthew Strazel had 12. But Efes’s bench faded late. Barcelona’s depth made the difference. These stats appeared in both the official Barcelona report and Turkish sports coverage.
The match took place on September 24, 2026, with tip-off around 20:30–21:30 local time at Palau Blaugrana, and was broadcast on major sports channels in both Spain and Turkey. The official Barcelona report noted that the comeback was built on a strong second-half surge, setting the tone for the new EuroLeague season.
Referees Sasa Pukl, Maxime Boubert, and Ioannis Tiganis ran the game. The Palau crowd was loud. Each quarter told its own story: Efes’s hot start, Barcelona’s second-quarter push, a tight third, and a final burst from the hosts.
Barcelona showed they can dig out of a hole and finish strong. Efes flashed talent but lost their way. The EuroLeague’s first week is already full of drama. This game proved one thing. No lead is safe here.
