Next Friday (31st January), players from across the world will take to court in the preliminary round of IWBF Europe’s Champions League.
The top level of inter-continental club competition opens with 15 of Europe’s leading club teams battling it out in three groups over two days.
From each group, the top two clubs will progress to the quarter finals – joining 2019 Champions Germany’s RSB Thuringia Bulls and finalists CD Ilunion from Spain. The teams finishing the groups in the third and fourth positions will enter into the EuroLeague Finals.
2020 Groups
Looking to build upon their undefeated performance in last year’s pool stage, UnipolSai Briantea84 Cantù will host Group A. Joining Italy’s Serie A Vice Champions are Turkey’s Galatasary S.K, Spain’s BSR ACE Gran Canaria, Israel’s Ilan Ramat Gan, and Germany’s Köln 99ers.
Hosting Group B, 2019 semi-finalists BSR Amiab Albacete, Spain, will face a difficult opening weekend. France’s Hornet Le Cannet will be looking to avenge the heartbreak of just missing out on the 2019 knockout stages, while Turkey’s Beşiktaş JK will be on the hunt for a consecutive quarter final place. On top of this will be tough competition against Italy’s GSD Porto Torres and Russia’s BasKI TSOP.
After securing a top three finish in 2019, Germany’s RSV Lahn-Dill will begin this year’s campaign in Spain. Hosts Bidaideak Bilbao BSR will also welcome Italy’s Deco Amicacci Giulianova, France’s CS Meaux BF, and Turkey’s TSK Rehab Merkezi Engelliler Spor Kulübü.
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Image courtesy of UnipolSai Briantea84 Cantù
