So the draw is already in place... Group B is gonna be really tough. Barça, Pana, Zalgiris, Sienna... god, really good. Group C is probably the easier, TAU has been really lucky.
Group A
Maccabi Electra
Le Mans Sarthe Basket
Olympiacos Piraeus
Unicaja
Cibona Zagreb
Avellino
Group B
Prokom Trefl Sopot
Zalgiris Kaunas
FC Barcelona
Panathinaikos
Montepaschi Siena
SLUC Nancy Basket
Group C
Union Olimpija
Virtus Roma
Fenerbahce Ulker
Alba Berlin
DKV Joventut
Tau Ceramica
Group D
Partizan Igokea
Armani Jeans Milano
Panionios On Telecoms
CSKA Moscow
Efes Pilsen
Real Madrid
I'm pissed about the two french teams and only one from Russian and Lithuania. Also 4 italians while only one is a really good team... 5 spanish is too much IMO, although the 5 should be part of the top16. Only DKV is an unknown after losing Rudy, maybe Barton, Sonseca...
There really shouldn't be any French teams, but, as I have said in earlier posts, the country is too strong not to have anything, like Germany. Italians are ok, they used to be really good, they could lower the team number to 2 or 3. Spain has the right amount now, they are the strongest country in Europe basketball wise, national and club-wise. Group B in Euroleague is a lot like group C in Euro 2008, the group of death. Group C is the weakest, looks like it will be owned by Tau Cerámica. DKV will most likely be average, Rudy Fernández will be missed. Group D doesn't look that strong either, CSKA and Real, those 2 are almost sure to advance. Group A is ok, nothing spectacular, I would expect Olympiakos and Maccabi to advance.
The 2009-2010 season will be much different, there will be a different qualifying system, surely we will see Lietuvos Rytas back. I think at least 1 French and 1 German team will stay, and I see Italians going down to 2, thus opening 3 spots, 1 for Rytas, 1 for a russian club, and 1 more for possibly another russian club or someone new, maybe a team from Latvia, maybe one from Serbia or Croatia. We'll see, the system will be updated, as Bertameu said himself.
There really shouldn't be any French teams, but, as I have said in earlier posts, the country is too strong not to have anything, like Germany. Italians are ok, they used to be really good, they could lower the team number to 2 or 3. Spain has the right amount now, they are the strongest country in Europe basketball wise, national and club-wise. Group B in Euroleague is a lot like group C in Euro 2008, the group of death. Group C is the weakest, looks like it will be owned by Tau Cerámica. DKV will most likely be average, Rudy Fernández will be missed. Group D doesn't look that strong either, CSKA and Real, those 2 are almost sure to advance. Group A is ok, nothing spectacular, I would expect Olympiakos and Maccabi to advance.
The 2009-2010 season will be much different, there will be a different qualifying system, surely we will see Lietuvos Rytas back. I think at least 1 French and 1 German team will stay, and I see Italians going down to 2, thus opening 3 spots, 1 for Rytas, 1 for a russian club, and 1 more for possibly another russian club or someone new, maybe a team from Latvia, maybe one from Serbia or Croatia. We'll see, the system will be updated, as Bertameu said himself.
Yep 2 french teams is two too many,just like the germans!Serbia,Russia,Croatia and Lithuania have better teams!
As for group b,Yes its a tough but surely the top 4 should be a given.There are 4 very strong and 2 weak teams.
Dynamo Moscow,Khimki,FMP Zeleznik or red star belgrade,Pamesa Valencia,Lietuvos Rytas,the new israeli champs bnei whatever it escapes me.All of these teams would easily beat le mans,nancy,alba,avellino Aj Milano.
Euroleague 08/09 Draw
