By Evangelos Papadimitriou / info@eurohoops.net
This is not the first time that five Spanish teams are playing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
It has happened also in the 2004-05 season (Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Estudiantes, Baskonia, Unicaja Malaga), in the 2008-09 season (Baskonia, FC Barcelona, Joventut, Unicaja Malaga, Real Madrid), in the 2010-11 season (Baskonia, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Unicaja Malaga, Valencia), in the 2011-12 season (FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Baskonia, Bilbao, Unicaja Malaga) and in the 2014-15 season (Baskonia, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Unicaja Malaga, Valencia).
This is, however, the first time that it has happened in the new 16 teams format and it’s a result of Valencia Baskets winning the Liga Endesa and Unicaja Malaga’s triumph in EuroCup last season, while Real Madrid, Barcelona and Baskonia have long-term contracts.
And that makes this season’s Day 10 unique. For the first time, all five teams coming from Spain were defeated in the same week. In the past, the worst case was at least one win, but this time:
- Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul defeated 69-83 Baskonia on the road and secured its seventh win this season.
- Olympiacos played again without captain Vassilis Spanoulis but defeated Valencia 72 – 64 on the road.
- CSKA Moscow beat Barcelona 92 – 78 at home and remained at the top of the standings with an 8 – 2 record.
- Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens got the 82-71 victory over Unicaja Malaga at home.
- Crvena Zvezda mts upset Real Madrid with 87-83 to get its first victory in the Spanish capital.