Barcelona closed the gap late at Coca-Cola Arena on 29 September 2026, but Dubai Basketball held on for a 94-87 win. Eurohoops reported the result in Round 2 of the regular season.
Barcelona's Kevin Punter finished as the visitors' top scorer with 22 points and five rebounds.
Dubai's second quarter changed the game
Barcelona led 25-23 after the first quarter. Dubai took control in the second, scoring 29 points and holding the visitors to 12. The hosts went into the break up 52-37. Eurohoops recorded the quarter scores as 23-25, 29-12, 24-25 and 18-25.
That run mattered.
The Barcelona game was Dubai Basketball's home EuroLeague debut, following its season-opening win over Real Madrid. Arab News had described the matchup as another major test at Coca-Cola Arena.
Kabengele leads as Pascual points to areas to fix
Mfiondu Kabengele led Dubai with 21 points and six rebounds, according to Eurohoops. He made eight of 11 field-goal attempts and all three of his three-point shots. McKinley Wright and Dwayne Bacon scored 14 points each.
Coach Xavi Pascual said the game had two distinct phases. Dubai played well for the first 28 minutes and built a lead of as many as 20 points. Barcelona raised its attacking tempo late in the third quarter. Pascual said his players managed the score through the finish, but warned that lapses against an experienced opponent can quickly become costly.
Late tactical fouls and weak defensive rebounding gave Barcelona extra chances, including looks from three-point range, Pascual said. Dubai also missed open shots and was sometimes slow to organise its transition attack. The team had taken advantage of some mismatches, but still had clear work to do.
The game was personal for Pascual because of his long history with Barcelona. He said he needed extra mental preparation to stay focused. He thanked the home supporters and urged the team to move on quickly, study its next opponents and keep improving.
Dubai showed it can compete with top European teams. The closing minutes also showed how quickly a big lead can shrink when defensive rebounds and concentration slip. The win is a strong start to the season. Dubai will need to keep control for a full game.
