Bologna, March 15 –
Virtus EmilBanca concludes its 2026 Adidas NextGen EuroLeague campaign with a solid fifth-place finish, thanks to a 62-70 victory over Bayern Munich. The Bologna leg marked a significant step forward for the black-and-white squad, considering that just two years ago, during the Dubai leg, they suffered four losses in four games. This year’s record, however, shows a solid 50% win rate, with two photo-finish losses against top-tier teams like Baskonia and NextGen Bologna, who were set to face off in the afternoon for first and third place, respectively, in these qualifiers.
Here are Coach Mattia Largo’s comments on the three-day tournament at PalaDozza: “We’re happy: the boys played four games at the highest level, carrying forward the spirit of Italian NextGen—with the difference that the 2008 and 2009 players, who are used to playing smaller roles due to the 2007 players, have stepped up. They did a fantastic job of bringing out all the potential I’ve always believed in and invested in. So—just like last time—I want to say a huge thank you and give a big shout-out to the boys because, once again, they embodied the Virtus Spirit, which must be a spirit of sacrifice and passion, while also playing the kind of basketball that’s right for a youth program.
Another thing I think is important to mention is that we’re leaving this NextGen tournament regretting that we came so close to beating two teams that are currently battling for first and third place. So—in hindsight—I’d say we were just a hair’s breadth away from making the final, and we wouldn’t have been undeserving of it; on the contrary, we would have deserved it for many reasons. This should give us the strength to move forward with even more spirit and a desire to improve, always with the humility that must never be lacking.
Finally, I want to thank Simone Ventura and Thomas Acunzo, who were with us for this important European competition: two valuable players who play for Pallacanestro Cantù, a club that, like ours, shares our commitment to developing young Italian players.”
