Vanja Marinkovic Returns to Partizan Team Training
Partizan's captain got the green light after checkups in Finland, while Red Star's new center Kristijan Koloko, Mozzart Sport reports, will miss the derby.
Ice on an Achilles tendon and crutches: that is how the night ended for Vanja Marinkovic in Munich at the end of January. Almost nine months later, Partizan says its captain has been cleared to return to team training, two days before the Euroleague derby against Red Star.
What did Partizan say about Marinkovic?
The club announced on X that after detailed checkups in Finland and consultations with Dr. Lase Lempijanen, Marinkovic received permission to join team training at full pace. His return will be managed carefully, the statement says:
“The entire process will be closely monitored and controlled, with the aim of the captain returning to the court fully prepared.”
The injury happened late in the game against Hapoel Tel Aviv. On the last possession of the fourth quarter, Marinkovic tried to get a shot off, slipped and landed awkwardly. His ruptured Achilles tendon was operated on in Finland, and doctors there have followed his recovery since.
When can Marinkovic play?
Early forecasts pointed to December. According to Mozzart Sport, he could return sometime in November, with a gradual build-up toward game rhythm. Novosti reports there is no confirmation for the derby: clearance to train is an encouraging sign, but not an announcement that he will play on Thursday. Partizan and Red Star meet on October 22 at 8:45 p.m. at Belgrade Arena, in round seven of the Euroleague.
According to Mozzart Sport, the monitoring continues until every condition is met for Marinkovic to play competitive basketball again and be available to coach Joan Penarroya.
What about Red Star’s new center?
On the other side of the derby, Kristijan Koloko will not be in the game, at least according to Mozzart Sport. The Cameroonian center (26 years old, 211 centimeters) spent four years in the NBA after the University of Arizona, with occasional stints in the G League, and Red Star signed him over the weekend. He is expected in Belgrade sometime this week, probably on Thursday. Mandatory medical exams await him then, so Mozzart Sport concludes he will certainly not be in the lineup for the derby. That is the outlet’s assessment, not a club statement.
His debut, the same source says, would most likely come the following weekend, in round four of the ABA League against Igokea in Laktasi. For now, that date is an assumption.
So coach Ibon Navarro will rely on Ebuka Izundu, who played 15 minutes in Novo Mesto on Sunday, and on Semi Ojeleye at center in the derby.
Both stories now point to the same date: Thursday, October 22, 8:45 p.m., Belgrade Arena.
