Olimpia Milano-Virtus Bologna, a challenge between the latest

Both have won only one game in six rounds of the Euroleague

.

Today (8:30 p.m.), the Italian Euroleague derby takes the stage at the Forum. Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna come to the challenge with a decidedly bad European record: just one win apiece in six games played. Both are in last place. Not quite in line with the early-season expectations of both.

As if that were not enough, both EA7 and the Black Vs are grappling with many absences. In the red and white house, the ace Shields is in the pits, as well as the long Mc Cormack and Diop. Virtus Bologna is not doing well either. Against Milan there will not be, in addition to the long-suffering Cacok, Zizic, Pajola, and almost certainly, Hackett (injured in the last Euroleague game against Bayern Munich).

Net of absences and a horror ranking, both aim to win. " Virtus è a very aggressive team on the perimeter, which è used to adopt tactical tricks to limit the main characteristics of opponents. Therefore on offense, the most important aspect will be to involve each other. On defense è essential above all to protect the area from the many different ways in which Virtus tries to go to attack near the basket", the words of Fioretti, still on the white-and-red bench despite the absence of Messina (otitis).

On the other side, Banchi è lucid in presenting the challenge: "We face the Milan match determined to produce a performance of great intensity. The derby against Olimpia always has a special pathos, regardless of the event in which these teams face each other, so the injury emergency we are experiencing will have to serve as an additional stimulus to a careful and cynical game. We will take advantage of every opportunity to find resources within a match that promises to be hard-fought both technically and competitively".