Europe’s Royal League in Valladolid, Spain, in May
The continent’s eight top teams who will be fighting for the Champions League Title 3rd to 5th of May are now decided. Six teams qualified in the Euroleague I preliminary rounds in Rome, Toulouse and Zwickau, and will be meeting title defendants RSV Lahn-Dill and hosting team BSR Valladolid.
In the Italian capital Rome and Toulouse in the south of France it were Spain’s champions CD Fundosa ONCE Madrid and the three-times European Champion Santa Lucia Sport Rome, as well as Turkey’s vice-champions Bestikas Istanbul and the Italian AS Santo Stefano who came out on top easily.
It got tense in Zwickau though, where Galatasaray Istanbul as favourites for the European crown stood their ground and won all of their four games. After two defeats against the Italian GSD Anmic Sassari and Istanbul the hosting team finished equal on points with Porto Torres and Sassari. As in basketball the direct comparison counts, and Zwickau is ahead with three points, they just managed to get their spot in Valladolid as well.
In EuroLeague II RSB Team Thueringen qualified for the final round in the André-Vergauwen Cup, whilst Goldmann Dolphins Trier failed in Nottwil, Switzerland, against hosts Pilatus Dragons and Beit Halochem Haifa from Israel.
For the Champions League 3rd – 5th of May 2013 in Valladolid qualified:
Hosts: BSR Valladolid (ESP)
Titledefendant: RSV Lahn-Dill (GER)
EuroLeague I, Gruppe A: CD Fundosa ONCE Madrid (ESP), Santa Lucia Sport Rom (ITA).
EuroLeague I, Gruppe B: Galatasaray Istanbul (TUR), RSC-Rollis Zwickau (GER).
EuroLeague I, Gruppe C: Besiktas Istanbul (TUR), AS Santo Stefano (ITA).
For André-Vergauwen-Cup 26th – 28th of April 2013 in Giulianova qualified:
Hosts: Polisportiva Amicacci Giulianova
EuroLeague I, Gruppe A: Hyeres HC (FRA)
EuroLeague I, Gruppe B: GSD Anmic Sassari (ITA)
EuroLeague I, Gruppe C: BC Verkerk Zwijendrecht (NED)
EuroLeague II: BSR Getafe (ESP), Pilatus Dragons (SUI), RSB Team Thüringen (GER), Briantea ´84 Cantu (ITA).