The U18 Žalgiris team, along with their coaching staff, has officially departed from Abu Dhabi and has successfully arrived in Istanbul. The team is expected to head back to Lithuania the next evening, as announced by the club representatives. Their trip to Abu Dhabi was initially for the EuroLeague youth tournament, highlighting the team's commitment to competing on an international level.

However, the situation in the region escalated, leading to a significant change in the tournament's dynamics. Following a Saturday morning meeting, the Žalgiris players moved to their hotel, only to face disruptions as other teams like AS Monaco and Aris Thessaloniki's youth squads were scheduled to play shortly after. The tournament organizers convened a meeting due to the growing tensions, which resulted in one team, NextGen Abu Dhabi, opting to withdraw from the tournament, indicating the seriousness of the situation.

The Žalgiris team began receiving notifications on their phones about the need to secure shelter due to recognized threats involving missile and drone strikes in UAE airspace. The players who remained in the hotel coordinated sleeping arrangements for themselves, reflecting the urgency and concern for safety during this time. As they now return to Lithuania, this experience underscores the unpredictability of international events and their impact on youth sports participation.