The easiest and the toughest groups of the Eurocup
The next season will be a very different one for all the clubs in Europe. The economic crisis generated by Covid-19 will reshape as well as the face of basketball, like many other aspects of our lives. The level of the Eurocup will be more tied than ever because many average teams have joined the competition. Only 4-5 clubs could maintain almost untouched the budget and the goals for the upcoming season. The rest of the clubs had to cut a lot, finding solutions to survive.
Even if the level is more tied, as a result of the draw, there is the easiest group, B, where only Unicaja Malaga is a dominant force and the rest of the teams are all average. They all have a chance to qualify because they will meet easy opponents like Ratiopharm Ulm, Germani Brescia, Maccabi Rishon, Buducnost and Boulogne Levallois.
On the other side, we have group A where again each team could qualify for the second stage of the Eurocup, but the level is much higher. Partizan, Unics Kazan, Joventut Badalona, Reyer Umana Venezia are considered the most important teams, but the newcomers Bahcesehir Koleji and Bourg could be as well some tough cookies.
The second group that aims for the title of the “toughest” is group C where there are 4 good teams: Virtus Bologna, AS Monaco, Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar and MorraBanc Andorra. The other 2 teams will make only a presence in Eurocup, actually with no chance to advance: Lietkabelis and Antwerp Giants.
Group D is looking like a very balanced group with a good level, with no clear favourites, but with skilled teams that can surprise anyone. Tough to say who will miss the second stage. Probably the battle will be between Bursaspor, Cedevita and Dolomiti Energia Trento, while Gran Canaria, Promitheas and Nanterre has the first chance to advance.
Image: Eurocup
Gratian Cormos
