Dinamo Bucharest secured its place in the FIBA Europe Cup group stage after defeating Peja 105-83, setting up a first-round clash against FIATC Girona. The debut fixture for the club led by Marc Gasol takes place Tuesday at Fontajau, starting at 7:45 p.m. local time (18:45 UTC).
Dinamo Bucharest Completes Qualifying Path
Dinamo Bucharest stamped its ticket to the continental tournament following a dominant 105-83 victory, having already established control of the tie with a 96-58 win in the first leg against Peja. The Romanian side rounds out the group-stage field for FIATC Girona, joining a competitive pool that already featured Poland’s Zielona Gora, Slovakia’s Patrioti Levice, Belgium’s Ostende, and Hungary’s Szolnoki.
Girona’s European journey opens at Fontajau before the team faces its first away trip on October 13 against Ostende in Belgium. Across the opening stage of the competition, the squad is scheduled to log more than 14,000 kilometers in travel.
A Nearly Two-Decade European Return for Girona Men
The upcoming tip-off marks the return of men’s professional basketball in Girona to European competition after a nearly 20-year absence. The club’s last venture on the continental stage came during the 2007-08 campaign under head coach Pedro Martínez, when the team reached the ULEB Cup final before falling to Joventut in Turin. One season prior, the Akasvayu-backed roster guided by Svetislav Pesic captured the FIBA Cup title right at Fontajau, a milestone that approaches its two-decade anniversary next April.
Spar Girona Shifts Focus to EuroCup Following EuroLeague Exit
While the men prepare for European nights on Tuesdays, Spar Girona encountered a difficult qualification turn, missing out on the EuroLeague after a decisive loss that allowed Emlak Konut to secure the spot in a group alongside Prague, Bourges, and Lublin.
Spar Girona redirects its campaign to the EuroCup, the continent’s second-tier competition. The team enters the group stage as a clear favorite alongside Spanish representatives Avenida, Jairis, Ensino, and Ferrol. Sued by matches against Keltern, Ostrava, and Montana, the women’s squad opens its EuroCup schedule on Thursday, October 15, at Fontajau against Ostrava, playing the majority of its continental matches on Thursdays.
Domestic Preparations Under Moncho Fernández
Ahead of European competition, FIATC Girona turns its immediate attention to the domestic Liga Endesa. The squad finished its preseason preparations with a victory over iLERNA Lleida.
“We are far from the level we would like to be at to start, but if we don’t have all our weapons, we will have spirit and the desire to do well,” Fernández said regarding the team’s ongoing roster adjustments and recent injuries. UCAM Murcia arrives in Girona maintaining its competitive core alongside former Girona guard Juani Marcos. Fernández emphasized the importance of the home crowd: “In Fontajau we have always had a magnificent atmosphere; the people give us warmth and I hope we find the same support as always.”
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