Pallacanestro Varese is heading toward a play-in series in the Basketball Champions League without the advantage of home-court superiority.
Following a 101-96 loss in Athens to Peristeri, the Italian club is effectively locked into third place in Group D, Sportando reported.
The defeat in Greece, paired with UCAM Murcia’s victory over Bamberg, leaves Varese in a position where it can no longer catch the top two teams in the group. The team’s standing is further hampered by a -27 point differential from their earlier meeting with Murcia in Spain.
While the team has mathematically secured a spot in the next phase of the tournament, the path to the Top 16 has become notably more difficult. Under the current competition format, Varese must now prepare for a best-of-three play-in series in January 2027 against the second-place finisher from Group C.
Away court disadvantage in January
Because Varese will enter the series as the third-place team, they will face the disadvantage of playing without home-court priority. To advance further in the competition, head coach Ioannis Kastritis and his roster will need to secure at least one victory on the road at an opponent’s arena.
The team’s final group stage game against Bamberg is now effectively a formality.
The road to the Top 16
Per accedere alle Top 16, la squadra di Ioannis Kastritis dovrà quindi vincere almeno una gara lontano da Masnago e sovvertire una situazione che, dopo il ko di Atene, si è fatta decisamente più complicata.
The final group stage match against Bamberg is scheduled to take place before the transition to the January 2027 series.
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