Virtus Bologna: Djordjevic’s rejection is official; four names in the running for the head coaching position

In the end, the deal fell through: Sasha Djordjevic, who was widely expected to return to Virtus Bologna, has instead definitively set his sights on Bahcesehir, the Turkish club that has officially announced his arrival on its official channels. “The club,” reads the club’s statement, “has reached an agreement with veteran head coach Aleksandar ‘Sasha’ Djordjevic, who has previously led teams such as Bayern Munich, Fenerbahçe, Olimpia Milano, Panathinaikos, and Virtus Bologna. Welcome to our family.”

This puts an irrevocable end to the flurry of rumors suggesting that the 1967-born coach, who was already at Virtus from 2018 to 2021 with a Scudetto and a Basketball Champions League title to his credit, was ready to make his return to the Vu Nere following a significant offer from the Bologna-based club. In the end, however, Bahcesehir’s offer prevailed; the club also secured a five-year license this week to compete in the EuroCup, a tournament that guarantees the winner a spot in the EuroLeague the following year.

Now a new chapter begins for Virtus. The club has resumed its search for a head coach and is specifically considering four names: ‘Repubblica’ and ‘La Prealpina’, in particular, mention Jaka Lakovic, who played in Italy (in Avellino) and is coming off a four-year stint as head coach at Gran Canaria, Aleksander Sekulic, who has been on the Dubai Basketball bench since April until the end of the season, Pierric Poupet, leaving ASVEL, and Petteri Koponen, a former Virtus player, although bureaucratic doubts remain regarding the latter.