Dubai Basketball defeated FC Barcelona 94-87 in a tense contest at Coca-Cola Arena on September 30, securing a second straight win to open the 2026/27 EuroLeague season unbeaten on home court.
Barcelona edged the opening quarter 25-23, but Dubai responded with a dominant second period, outscoring the Spanish side 29-12 to take a 52-37 lead into halftime. Barcelona clawed back in the third quarter, turning the contest into a genuine fight, but Dubai held its composure down the stretch, adding 18 points in the fourth quarter to seal a seven-point win.
Mfiondu Kabengele led all scorers for Dubai with 21 points and 6 rebounds, shooting an efficient 8-of-11 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range. McKinley Wright and Dwayne Bacon each contributed 14 points as Dubai's supporting cast stepped up around Kabengele's standout night.
Head coach Xavi Pascual said after the game that his team led by 20 points for the first 28 minutes before Barcelona mounted a comeback that turned the match into "another game," adding that Dubai nonetheless stayed in front and controlled the scoreline throughout. He also flagged defensive lapses that need fixing, noting that Barcelona is a quality opponent that took advantage of any gaps.
The result gives Dubai Basketball a perfect start to its EuroLeague campaign, building early momentum as one of the competition's form teams and reinforcing Coca-Cola Arena's reputation as a difficult venue for visiting sides this season.