The Euroleague 2009-10 season has begun! This morning, the Euroleague announced the groupings for the ten-game competition this autumn. Naturally, the pools are totally enticing and some great fodder for watercooler discussions for months. (Heck, they’ll have to be.) The groups look like this:
Group A
Regal FC Barcelona
Montepaschi Siena
Cibona Zagreb
Fenerbahce Ulker
Zalgiris Kaunas
ASVEL Lyon Villeurbanne
Group B
Olympiacos Piraeus
Partizan Belgrade
Unicaja
Efes Pilsen Istanbul
Lietuvos Rytas
(qualifying team TBD)
Group C
CSKA Moscow
Tau Ceramica
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
Virtus Roma
Union Olimpija Ljubljana
(qualifying team TBD)
Group D
Panthinaikos Athens
Real Madrid
Armani Jeans Milano
Asseco Prokom
BC Khimki Moscow region
EWE Baskets Oldenburg
Over the next few days, BallinEurope.com will take a more in-depth look at each group, team by team, but for now … Oh, the questions! Oh, the speculation! Which bunch could become known as the “Group of Death,” A or C? How much damage can Zalgiris Kaunas do against the generally bigger teams in Group A? How much would Greek fans dig seeing either Maroussi Athens or Aris Thessaloniki – the teams meet in the first round of the qualifying tournament and draw the winner of Le Mans-ALBA Berlin – in that Group B with Olympiacos?
And finally, how long is it before the season starts?
