By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After Italian club Varese which confirmed that Champions League will include 40 teams divided in five regular season groups, Greek club AEK announced which teams will be included in the new group E.
The team of 5th regular season group are AEK, Partizan (Serbia), Zielona Gora (Poland), Besiktas (Turkey), Sassari (Italy), Ludwigsburg (Germany), Charleroi (Belgium) and Szolnok Olaj (Hungary).
The rest of the draw remains the same and FIBA confirmed the following:
The format of the Basketball Champions League for the upcoming season will be modified in the following manner:
- Total participation: 40 teams divided into five groups of eight teams each.
- The four Regular Season groups (A-D) that were produced at the Draw of July 21st will remain intact with regards to their final composition.
- A new group (E) of eight teams will be created.
- Group E will include the new entries AEK Athens (GRE), Partizan KK (SRB), Zielona Gora (POL), and five teams from the Qualification Rounds that will now advance directly into the Regular Season: Besiktas Sompo Japan (TUR), Dinamo Sassari (ITA), MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg (GER), Proximus Spirou Charleroi (BEL) and Szolnoki Olaj (HUN).
The revised Qualification Rounds will consist of the following matches:
Qualification Round 1
Kataja (FIN) vs Sodertalje Kings (SWE) (winner to participate in Group B).
SL Benfica (POR) vs Varese (ITA (winner to participate in Group C).
FC Porto (POR) vs Juventus Utena (LTU) (winner to participate in Group D).
Igokea (BIH) vs KK Mornar Bar (MNE) (winner to participate in Group D).
Donar Groningen (NED) vs BC Tartu (EST) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
Rilski Sportist (BUL) vs Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
CSM CSU Oradea (ROU) vs Prievidza (SVK) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP) vs U-BT Cluj-Napoca (ROM) (winner to play in Qualification Round 2)
Qualification Round 2
Winner of Donar Groningen (NED) vs BC Tartu (EST) will play against Bakken Bears (DEN) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group A.
Winner of Rilski Sportist (BUL) vs Tsmoki-Minsk (BLR) will play against Ironi Nahariya (ISR) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group A.
Winner of CSM CSU Oradea (ROU) vs Prievidza (SVK) will play against Lukoil (BUL) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group B.
Winner of Petrolina AEK Larnaca (CYP) vs U-BT Cluj-Napoca (ROM) will play against Muratbey Usak (TUR) and the winner will qualify for the Regular Season and participate in Group C.
COMPETITION SYSTEM MODIFICATION
The inclusion of 40 teams in the Regular Season of the BCL has brought a modification of the Play-Offs accordingly:
- 24 teams, instead of 16, from the Regular Season will qualify for the BCL Play-Offs which will be concluded in two rounds (two additional dates added in the calendar: February 7th and 21st). These will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th placed teams of each Group (total of 20 teams) and the four best ranked 5th placed teams.
- The top eight teams (the five Group winners and the three best ranked 2nd place finishers) of the Regular Season groups will qualify directly to the Second Round of the BCL Play-Offs.
- The remaining 16 teams will face each other during the First Round of the BCL Play-Offs with the eight winners qualifying to the Second Round of the Play-Offs.
- The next eight placed teams following the qualification of the top 24 teams to the Play-Offs will continue into the FIBA Europe Cup.