The Euroleague is back, and Bayern Munich's basketball team is determined to make their mark this time around. Their aim: reaching the Final Four in Berlin. However, for Alba Berlin, that goal appears to be out of reach.
Munich (dpa) - The basketball players of Bayern Munich will have to do without their spectacular glass court at the start of the new Euroleague season after a testing period. Nevertheless, the star-studded squad from the Isar River region is eager to create a special impact on the international stage this season.
After a clear miss of the playoffs in the previous season, making it to the knockout rounds is somewhat of a minimum target for this season. The primary focus is on the Final Four, set to take place in Berlin at the end of May 2024.
"I want to win it all," said Bayern's new center, Serge Ibaka, who brings the experience of over 1000 NBA games to Bayern's roster. However, at this early stage of the season, the Bayern team is finding it challenging in the league. After an opening victory against Syntainics MBC, they suffered an unexpected defeat to EWE Baskets Oldenburg without Ibaka. Now, they are determined to secure a victory in the Euroleague opener against Alba Berlin this Thursday (8:30 PM/Magentasport).
Praise from Alba's Coach
"The Bayern team has strengthened to the highest European standards. If they manage to piece it all together, they will be a tough team to beat," said Alba Coach Israel González, showing full respect for Bayern, which boasts three World Champions in Andreas Obst, Isaac Bonga, and Niels Giffey. Thursday will also mark a reunion with Alba's captain, Johannes Thiemann, the sole hero of Manila in the Berlin team.
However, Alba has seen significant changes, with another World Champion, Maodo Lo, leaving the capital city to join the top Italian team, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. The face of the Alba team has transformed, with nine players departing during the summer, including key figures like Captain Luke Sikma (to Olympiakos Piraeus). "It's essentially a fresh start. We need patience and time," stated Berlin's CEO, Marco Baldi.
Final Tournament in Berlin
Time is a luxury that the Euroleague does not afford. The European premier league has evolved significantly in recent years, providing entertainment on par with the NBA. It will be intriguing to see how the young Berlin team fares against the financially and competitively strong competition. In the previous season, Alba struggled and clearly missed the playoffs, despite having a team that, at least on paper, was stronger than the current one. Hosting the Final Four in their home arena serves as motivation, but it likely remains out of reach.
For Bayern, reaching the top four teams in the continent is within reach if everything goes optimally. In their first official game against MBC, Munich hinted at their immense potential at times. However, the spectacular glass court with graphics effects, which was dismantled after a single test, stole the show. As the season progresses, that is expected to change. "We can play fast and attractive basketball. That was one of our goals, but for various reasons, it wasn't necessarily our focus in the past," said Bayern CEO Marko Pesic.
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