Virtus Bologna, Scariolo leaves? There is the Pozzecco idea

From our correspondent Andrea Tosi

June 22nd
– Bologna

40 minutes from the scudetto in the most balanced series in the history of the finals over 7 games, everyone is wondering, inside and outside Bologna, if coach Scariolo and Virtus will continue their relationship as the contract expiring in 2024 dictates. This is the strong theme of these finals. The question is delicate. Nothing is taken for granted, but some indicators say that an early resolution could be consummated. The plot is known: Don Sergio and the Bologna club have long been no longer aligned on the team’s development project with a view to next season which sees the Euroleague as a priority to improve after a return with many ups and downs (on the 29th there will be board in Barcelona with the new CEO, the Lithuanian Paulius Motiejunas, who will confirm the format with the same 18 teams as in the last edition). Virtus, understood also as a Segafredo company, intends to resize investments by adapting them to the principle of financial fair play required by the Euroleague itself and therefore has planned to cut the budget by 20-25% with repercussions on signings, renewals and consequently on team competitiveness.

Towards Spain

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Thus, in the last two months, the gold coach of Spain has probed his market, of course with the permission of Virtus. Scariolo spoke with Real and then with Toronto, betting strongly on the NBA, but the Raptors chose another profile after taking him into consideration for more than one interview. The Madrid option remains hot, the one most appropriate to the coat of arms of the Virtussino coach, even if Chus Mateo, the coach of the Blancos, has just won the Euroleague. But the flop in the final for the Spanish title with the scorching 0-3 remedied against the great rivals of Barcelona has called him into question. However, Florentino Perez’s club has never formalized Mateo’s confirmation. And someone like Scariolo certainly can’t stand at the window. Therefore, even before the challenge with Milan, the full successor left. Today the strong candidate is Gianmarco Pozzecco who could divide the role of club coach with that of national coach. On this point, the Fip, that is the president Petrucci, should review the plans with the transfer of the blue coach from full time to part time, already considered when Panathinakos had probed the Poz. But since Petrucci’s relationship with Virtus has returned to good after a stormy period, there is a collaborative spirit. Better then that Poz trains in Italy to follow the events of the championship more closely. In short, it is an operation that can be successful. It only needs to be assessed whether Poz’s fortified past may be unwelcome to the fans, but the positive precedents of Djordjevic and Scariolo himself show that Virtus’s audience is looking to the present and not to the past.

Market

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Market On the player front, the confirmations of Belinelli who renewed, Pajola and Hackett are sure. Teodosic hangs in the balance: after four great years in which he often lit up the proscenium with his boundless talent, the Serbian genius presents some critical issues starting with his heavy engagement. Even Shengelia, holder of an onerous contract, is pending: the solution may be to lengthen and spread the salary of the Georgian fullback. The renewals of Abass, Cordinier, Mickey, Jaiteh and Ojeleye are to be evaluated, while Mannion, Bako, Lundberg and Weems are out. The strongest rumors at the entrance concern the Serbian Dobric, winger of the Red Star, and the Sassari Diop, an emerging center of Italian formation. Furthermore, there is the blue Polonara who has ended his relationship with Zalgiris and who has an outdated feeling with Poz in the event of the current coach of the national team arriving on the bench. But first there is the Scudetto to be played at the Forum. And then the word will pass to Scariolo.