Virtus Segafredo Bologna became the 7DAYS EuroCup champion last season after defeating Frutti Extra Bursaspor in the final, as head coach Sergio Scariolo's team secured its return to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. There is a lot of excitement about what Virtus can achieve in the coming season, having gone 15 years without playing in Europe's premier club basketball competition. Some notable additions have been made to the roster, including Iffe Lundberg and Jordan Mickey, ahead of what Virtus hopes will be a successful first campaign back in the EuroLeague.
BACKCOURT
The return of Virtus to the EuroLeague also brings with it the return of Milos Teodosic to the competition. The veteran point guard was named EuroLeague MVP back in 2010, while he also won the EuroLeague title in 2016. Teodosic's experience and playmaking, even in a potential role off the bench, will no doubt be of vital importance for a Virtus team that has its sights set on finishing in the playoffs. Elsewhere in the backcourt, Virtus can count on the likes of Daniel Hackett and Marco Belinelli, as well as new signing Iffe Lundberg. Particularly in the cases of Hackett and Belinelli, they bring high-level experience to Virtus, with Hackett having played 11 seasons in the EuroLeague and become a champion in 2019, while Belinelli re-signed for Virtus in 2020 after a 13-year career in the NBA. Lundberg made an instant impact with CSKA Moscow when he joined mid-season in 2020-21 and then maintained a similar level of performance in the following campaign, but the Russian teams' suspension from the competition led to him leaving for Phoenix of the NBA. Behind Teodosic, Lundberg, Hackett and Belinelli, Virtus has the young duo of Niccolo Mannion and Alessandro Pajola that will be battling it out for game time. Last season, the 22-year-old Pajola began to display his talents and was trusted more by Coach Scariolo, whereas the 21-year-old Mannion had more of a bit-part role. Also jostling for minutes in the backcourt will be Michele Ruzzier, Isaia Cordinier and Marco Ceron.