Euroleague, Anadolu Efes-Virtus Bologna: where to watch the play-in on TV and streaming

Virtus is called to a feat, to win the play-in starting from tenth place. The worst possible placing reserves the first match in Istanbul against Anadolu Efes, European champions in 2021 and 2022 and among the best teams in the competition. If they lose, Bologna is immediately out. The match is live on Sky Sport Max and streaming on NOW at 8pm and on skysport.it with news and updates in real time

THE PLAYOFF AND PLAY-IN BOARD

Virtus Bologna is in the play-in, an objective for which the club would certainly have signed before the start of the season. The end of the regular season, however, left a bit of a bad taste in the mouth: after an excellent first round which even ended in second place, the last seven consecutive defeats caused the Vu Nere to collapse at the tenth place, the last one available to qualify for the play-in.

How play-in works

The tenth position immediately implies a clash from inside and outside against Anadolu Efes in Istanbul. The Turks had an opposite path to that of Bologna, starting very badly but recovering in the second round and finishing with a string of five consecutive victories which also allowed them to finish in ninth position and gain the field factor in the first playoff. Here is how the play-in, introduced in the Euroleague for the first time this season, works:

• In case of defeat, Bologna would be immediately eliminated
• If successful, Bologna would have to face, again away from home, the loser of the other match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Baskonia (the winner of this last match instead qualifies directly for the playoffs as the number 7 seed)
• By winning both matches, Bologna would be in the playoffs as number 8 seed against Real Madrid

Banchi: “We have the qualities to stand up to Efes”

Luca Banchi in the press conference he presented the challenge as follows: “Efes reaches the play-in on the back of series victories which confirm the potential of their team. Clyburn recovered and having rediscovered their ideal game structure, they demonstrated their ability to enhance the characteristics of un roster full of talent and alternatives. A very tough race is ahead, to be managed with strong nerves and fierce belief that he has all the qualities to stand up to an opponent of such caliber”. In Virtus the great ex is also available Ante Zizic, arrived in December from Efes. However, in Bologna the former Cleveland player is confirming the same difficulties he faced in Istanbul: tonight could be the right opportunity to reverse course. Efes completed its season in February, with the dismissal of coach Erdem Can and the hiring of Tomislav Mijatovic. The team won the Euroleague in both 2021 and 2022. Today it features a very different roster, but some protagonists are the same, from Shane Larkin and Rodrigue Beaubois until Tibor Pleiss and Elijah Bryant.

Virtus’ precedents with Efes, Maccabi and Baskonia

• Seasonal precedents with Anadolu Efes (1-1): 93-81 victory in Bologna and 99-75 defeat in Istanbul

Here’s how the matches went this year against the possible opponents in the second play-in playoff:

• Season precedents with Baskonia (1-1): 81-91 victory in Vitoria and 91-95 defeat in Bologna
• Seasonal precedents with Maccabi (1-1): 100-90 victory in Bologna and 95-78 defeat away

The program for Tuesday 16 April on Sky Sport

• 7pm – Maccabi Tel Aviv-Baskonia Vitoria live on Sky Sport Arena and NOW with commentary by Andrea Solaini and Andrea Meneghin
• 8pm – Efes Istanbul-Virtus Segafredo Bologna live on Sky Sport Max and NOW with commentary by Flavio Tranquillo and Davide Pessina and the correspondent in Istanbul Geri De Rosa