By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Luca Banchi has stepped down as head coach of Virtus Bologna following their EuroLeague loss to ALBA Berlin, as Gazzetta dello Sport has initially reported and the club confirmed later in the day.
The club also announced that Dusko Ivanovic is officially his replacement, returning to the EuroLeague after leaving Baskonia‘s coach.
The Montenegrin coach and two-time EuroLeague champion as a player has a long resume that includes also stops in Barcelona, Panathinaikos, and Crvena Zvezda.
His new assignment is not an easy one with Virtus currently being on the bottom of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 2-11 record.
It has to be noted that he and Toko Shengelia have won together the Spanish league title with Baskonia and it’s obvious that at this point the main concern of Virtus is the Italian domestic league.
Ivanovic has a reputation for being a very strict and demanding coach and Virtus felt they needed this kind of approach.
Banchi is said to have informed the team in the locker room before the post-match press conference of the game against ALBA and according to the initial reports former Virtus coach Sasha Djordjevic was also a main candidate for his replacement.