By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Following a 15-year absence and returning to the top-tier continental competition of Europe, Virtus Segafredo Bologna narrowly missed the cut for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs. With one game left in the double-legged round-robin schedule, the 13-20 record is not enough to stay in the hunt.
Luca Baraldi, CEO of Virtus Bologna, talked to TRC about the EuroLeague future of the storied club and more.
“I think it is more than a satisfactory path, we proved we can stay in Euroleague because we have created a sporting and corporate organization that has shown professionalism and has also achieved important victories on difficult courts,” he argued about the Bologna outfit being part of the 2023-24 EuroLeague field as well, “We won with almost all the teams that today are fighting to go to the Final Four and this means that even from a technical point of view the values were there.”
Virtus Bologna is considered to be among the teams next on the line for a long-term license. Besides possibly extending the stay in EuroLeague, the next steps are likely to include changes on the roster as well.
“You should never fall too much in love with the players; certainly, you have to have players who want to stay in Bologna, who feel fine in our club, and to play with Virtus, who feel a little goosebumps when they put on our shirt. Someone this year has felt little at certain times and maybe he has rightly played less,” noted Baraldi, “The technical qualities are fine, but on the court, the heart and motivation are needed. Now, we need players who have great internal motivations. I believe that a club like Virtus must also think about what will be the after Teodosic, the after Belinelli, and therefore we must have certain role players of the highest level.”
Also missing the Playoffs is domestic rival EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. The Virtus Bologna CEO also talked about more teams in LBA Serie A and pointed out potential improvements in Italian basketball.
“Milan is a historical competitor on the field, they are also making an important journey and are obviously ahead of us having more experience and being for several years in Euroleague. I would say that the ideal with Milan would be to fight on the field and maybe be a little ally in Italy, which I believe will happen because the Italian movement will need to advance through the towing of different clubs. The Italian championship now also includes Venice and Tortona, great entrepreneurs who have approached basketball and others will stand out, we see the excellent project of Varese, Sassari that for years fights at a high national level, but it is all the system that must grow,” said Baraldi.
Sergio Scariolo to stay in charge and team growth
Signing a three-year contract to take over head-coaching responsibilities before the 2021-22 season, Sergio Scariolo guided Vu Nere to the 7DAYS EuroCup championship to earn a spot in the 2022-23 edition of the EuroLeague.
“Scariolo is here because he is one of the best coaches ever in expressing basketball at the European level and I have to say also at the world level,” explained Baraldi, “Working here he proved to be a very competent man, very balanced, a man of common sense, who went through very difficult sporting moments in team management. At the end of the year we will have many deadlines, and a new book to write, this is very inspiring for him. I think Scariolo can stay with us even beyond the duration of the contract.”
Fitting in Virtus Bologna as a second permanent Italian team in Europe’s premier club continental competition is the confirmed goal.
“Italy today has only one team permanently in the Euroleague while other countries have many more, this can be another element to be discussed,” said Baraldi, “Bologna showed great participation in Euroleague, we have a number of attendance averages that exceed 8,000 people per game, which is a very high number. We have an average value of expenditure for each individual place that is among the best in Europe, so the parameters of the club are parameters of strong market orientation, including synergies with the Fair. We are thinking, without being presumptuous, as if we were to be in Euroleague next year… If we’re relegated, we’ll roll up our sleeves to get back up. We have the possibilities, I think Virtus has shown in recent years to be a growing group. We are an ambitious company, if we were to be in Euroleague we will try to build a team to get at least eighth place and remain competitive everywhere… Then to get to compete for the Final Four, I think Virtus will come one day, but it takes time, especially then to confirm at that level and stay there.”
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net