After MoraBanc Andorra's victory over Gran Canaria (79-77), the Principality team reached the semifinals of the EuroCup, which means that they are just two wins away from entering the next season's EuroLeague.
MoraBanc Andorra / Schedule
Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas
MoraBanc Andorra
Frutti Extra BursaThis exciting situation for the team from Andorra in continental competition contrasts with the difficulties they are going through in the Endesa League, where they are still in the last position.
Following EuroLeague's 2021-22 season regulations, MoraBanc would not be able to play in this competition next season if it does not maintain its place in the Endesa League.
This is established in Article 5, which imposes a requirement to stay in domestic competition, understanding this as the main league in each country (according to Article 1).
In general, it was going to be the two EuroCup finalists who were going to get a place in EuroLeague for the following season, but the presence of AS Monaco (reigning champions) in the playoffs - and therefore qualification for EuroLeague's season 2022-23, leaves only one place for the champions.
MoraBanc only needs to win the next two games to do so, a challenge that is perhaps even easier than staying in the ACB, where only four rounds are left to play. They may now be forced to achieve both objectives in order to play in the EuroLeague.
A similar case (a place in EuroLeague and not in the domestic league) occurred in 2019 in Greece with Olympiacos, after its exclusion from the top Greek competition due to its disagreement with the refereeing, which led to a protest and its subsequent sanction.
The requirement to remain in the country's top division was then brought up to question their presence in the EuroLeague by alluding to that article of the statutes.
At the time, the EuroLeague distanced itself from the Greek schism and guaranteed Olympiacos a place, relativising the rule that obliges all teams to play in their first national competition.
"It only exists to ensure a minimum, competitive level. That rule does not apply to what happens in Greece," declared its president Jordi Bertomeu at the time.
It remains to be seen whether the same exception would apply now with a team that does not belong to the competition but comes from the EuroCup. In any case, and also in accordance with the rules of participation, the EuroLeague could complicate the Andorran team's access to its competition for other reasons.
MoraBanc would find it very difficult to meet one particular requirement: to have an international airport at a maximum of 100 kilometers by the road. Andorra airport is less than 30 km away, but it is a small airport with no daily connections that would allow teams to get there easily.
MoraBanc advanced to the EuroCup semifinal, where they will face Frutti Extra Bursaspor.
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