Xavi Pascual Takes Charge as Dubai Basketball Aims for EuroLeague Breakthrough

Five days after pushing Real Madrid into overtime in Abu Dhabi, Dubai Basketball will face them again on Thursday evening to officially kick off their second EuroLeague season. Last year, as newcomers, Dubai finished 11th, narrowly missing the play-in positions, while also claiming the ABA League championship. They return to both competitions with a deeper squad, heightened expectations, and one of European basketball’s most decorated coaches, Xavi Pascual.

“I think Dubai did a great job during the previous years and now I'm coming here to take one step further,” Pascual told The National. “This is a continuation of the project. The organisation has a new coach, so logically we are going in the same direction, but with some adjustments. We want to keep growing and take bigger steps in the competition.”

Pascual, 54, brings an impressive resume, having spent eight years at Barcelona where he won 19 trophies, including four Spanish league titles and the 2010 EuroLeague, earning EuroLeague Coach of the Year honors that season. He later secured consecutive Greek championships with Panathinaikos and a VTB League title with Zenit St Petersburg. After returning to Barcelona last November, he guided them to the Spanish league finals before departing in the summer, eventually signing with Dubai on July 14 on a deal running through 2029.

Reflecting on his decision, Pascual stated: “We have a great organisation, a great stadium and great players. I'm sure we are going to have a great season. At this moment, I'm not thinking at all about anything from the past. I'm thinking about what is happening here. I fit very well with the organisation and with the team, so I feel very good here.”

Evidence of Dubai's potential was clear in last week’s EuroLeague SuperCup semi-final against Real Madrid in Abu Dhabi. Dubai dominated the perimeter, built a 16-point lead, and pushed the 11-time European champions to the limit before falling 98-95 in overtime, highlighted by Walter Tavares' 20 points for Madrid. Pascual aims to blend tactical discipline and defensive organization with a faster transition game, demanding high tempo and smart execution.

The roster has been bolstered by significant offseason additions. McKinley Wright IV, who made history last season as Dubai's first EuroLeague MVP of the Month, praised the team's depth and the acquisition of experienced veterans. Key players like Dwayne Bacon, Mfiondu Kabengele, Dzanan Musa, Jaron Blossomgame, and Tornike Shengelia provide the necessary talent to compete across both the EuroLeague and ABA League.

As Dubai prepares for Thursday's rematch against Real Madrid, followed by an ABA League opener against Vienna and a EuroLeague clash with Barcelona, Pascual remains focused on steady progress rather than making early Final Four predictions. “We have to go step by step, improving our game and pushing the team to the limit of what we can achieve,” he said.