Several clubs have already booked their places in the Top 16 of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague but spots are still up for grabs and a number of teams are aiming to grab them.

Heading into penultimate week of clashes, Fenerbahce Ulker, FC Barcelona, CSKA Moscow, Real Madrid, Olympiacos, Galatasaray, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Lokomotiv Kuban, Laboral Kutxa and Panathinaikos know they will be competing in the next round of the competition.

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Real Madrid are assured of winning Group B with eight wins in as many games, while two-time defending champions Olympiacos have secured top spot in Group C.

There are still three Top 16 spots to be claimed, however, behind Real in Group B, and two after Olympiacos and Galatasaray in Group C.

Last week’s results threw Group B wide open, leaving Anadolu Efes, EA7 Emporio Armani, Zalgiris, Brose Baskets Bamberg and Strasbourg chasing positions two, three and four.

Strasbourg, for just the second time all season, defeated Zalgiris Kaunas with a buzzer-beating three-ball, an outcome that dropped the Lithuanian giants to 3-5 on the season.

Brose Baskets Bamberg followed up that triumph with one of their own, overcoming a 14-point half-time deficit to stun Anadolu Efes in Istanbul, 89-78.

Now the Germans play at EA& Emporio Armani Milano.

“The game against Milan is for sure a decisive one for us and we did not play particularly well in the first game,” Brose Baskets coach Chris Fleming said.

“They set the tone throughout.

“So we are really focusing on going there and playing a good game and giving ourselves a chance to win.”

What has been a major plus for Brose Baskets has been the addition of former Real Madrid center D’or Fischer.

In his first game last week, Fischer was dominant on defense with four blocks.

The American also showed a soft shooting touch and finished with 13 points.

Serbia international Novica Velickovic, whose career has been slowed by injuries in recent years, also impressed with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists.

In truth, everyone did well for the German club in their comeback at Anadolu Efes.

The pressure is on, however, to keep winning.

The same can be said for all the teams in the pool.

For Anadolu Efes, a victory over Brose Baskets would have secured their place in the Top 16.

Now they go up against Zalgiris, and it’s never easy taking on the Lithuanians in Kaunas.

“The game against Zalgiris Kaunas will be the most important game of ours this season in two ways,” Efes’ Serbia international Dusko Savanovic said.

“Firstly to guarantee the Top 16 and secondly a win will give us morale and confidence.”

Strasbourg had an incredible finish at home against Zalgiris, but now they have to win against Real, maybe the best team in the competition.

Taking part in the competition for the second time, Strasbourg have never won a road game in the Euroleague.

In Group C, Unicaja Malaga, FC Bayern, Montepaschi Siena and Stelmet Zielona Gora are fighting for third and fourth place.

Unicaja host Bayern, Montepaschi visit Galatasaray and Stelmet Zielona Gora travel to face Galatasaray.

In Group A, JSF Nanterre are trying to hold off Partizan Belgrade in the battle for fourth.

The French club is in Ukraine, taking on Budivelnik Kiev, while Partizan are in Istanbul squaring off against Fenerbahce.

Group D’s representatives in the Top 16 are already known.

They are Maccabi, Lokomotiv Kuban, Laboral Kuxta and Panathinaikos.

Read the original article at FIBA.com