Both Milan and Virtus are languishing towards the bottom of the standings, but will the Derby d’Italia prove to be a springboard for one of the teams?
Something has to give in Round 7’s Rivalry Series game
Game Preview
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 7 of 34
Group Regular Season
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This season hasn’t exactly got off to the best of starts for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s two Italian clubs, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Virtus Segafredo Bologna. Both teams have a 1-5 record after six rounds and the picture already looks bleak, but the Derby d’Italia – the Rivalry Series game in Round 7 on Thursday night – offers the chance for one of these sides to start building some momentum.
Milan’s lone victory this season came in Round 2 as it defeated Paris Basketball at Unipol Forum (79-74). Since then, the side from the world’s fashion capital has twice lost at home, which includes Zalgiris Kaunas’s memorable comeback from 27 points down to win 82-85 in Round 4. Head coach Ettore Messina was not on the bench for Milan’s Round 6 loss at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (88-83), with assistant coach Mario Fioretti taking the reins, and he will be absent again on Thursday night due to sickness.
Virtus, meanwhile, has tasted victory in the EuroLeague more recently than its archenemy, downing Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 69-70 on the road in Round 5. Luca Banchi’s men rallied back from 16 points down at home to FC Bayern Munich in Round 6 to take an 80-79 lead in the final 2 minutes, but Shabazz Napier’s dagger three-pointer with 5 seconds remaining proved pivotal as Virtus went on to win 84-87. That was a bitter pill to swallow for those on the black-and-white side of Basket City, but a derby victory often has a habit of righting some wrongs.
In what is a repeat of the last four editions of the Italian League finals, Milan and Virtus will be particularly eager to get back on track in this Rivalry Series clash. One of the key men for Milan will be 2021-22 EuroLeague MVP Nikola Mirotic, who has posted 22.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and a 24.7 PIR over the team’s last three EuroLeague games, while the return of Josh Nebo from injury is an added boost. Like Nebo, another summer recruit who should have a big impact on the contest is all-action forward Zach LeDay, although the absence of Shavon Shields due to injury will hinder Milan on the offensive end.
Coach Banchi will certainly be looking for ex-CSKA Moscow duo Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn – ranked 17th and 18th, respectively, in the all-time scoring charts – to step up to the plate. Shengelia is coming off an impressive showing against Bayern that saw him net 21 points, a season high, while Clyburn had 27 points – his most in a non-overtime game since October 22, 2021 – in Virtus’s only win of the campaign at Partizan. Swingman Isaia Cordinier is another who will be leaned on after enjoying a career year so far, scoring in double figures in each of his team’s first six games and averaging 15.0 points per night. While Milan will be without Shields, Virtus has had to make do without defensive pest Alessandro Pajola for the last two games due to injury, and he is out once again Round 7, as is fellow guard Daniel Hackett.
Virtus comes into this game having beaten Milan three out of the four times they have met since the Bolognese club returned to the EuroLeague in 2022-23, but the Milanese outfit did emerge victorious the last time they met last April in the penultimate game of the 2024-25 season. Which one of these teams will move to two wins and which will find itself 1-6 after Thursday night? Tune in to EuroLeague TV from 20:30 CET to see which side comes out on top in this week’s Rivalry Series game.
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