Open door from the EuroLeague! Are Russian teams returning?

EuroLeague Head Coaches Board Director Goran Sasic made significant statements regarding the future of Russian teams. Sasic expressed that Russian clubs could return to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague next season. Speaking to the Russian press, Sasic noted that the EuroLeague management is considering re-integrating Russian teams into the organization. 

'If you recall, the same question was asked a year ago, and my answer was that I believed the sanctions would last three years, just as they were applied to Yugoslavia. Are you following what has happened in the world in the last 48 hours? I am becoming increasingly confident that this decision will be made. In the recent EuroLeague board meetings, the idea of increasing the number of teams to 20 has been discussed. Now I ask: Why do they want to increase the number of teams in the EuroLeague to 20? To make room for two Russian teams. I think these two teams will be CSKA Moscow and Zenit.' he stated.

The return of Russian teams, which were expelled from the EuroLeague in 2022 due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, is eagerly awaited in the basketball world. Sasic also argued that three Russian teams should be in the EuroLeague in the future. 

'Of course, UNICS Kazan also deserves to return, but under the current conditions in the EuroLeague, I do not think there is room for three Russian teams for now. We need to eliminate this historical injustice, and I think this has been expected for a long time. I will be very happy to see my two friends, Andreas Pistiolis and Xavi Pascual, in the EuroLeague next year.' 

Sasic added that he would be happy to see names like Andreas Pistiolis and Xavi Pascual in the EuroLeague next year.