Josep Cubells has confirmed in an interview with RAC1 the progress made by Mundo Deportivo a few days ago, that the Barça club is positioned on the side of the current model and managers of the Euroleague in the internal pulse that has been opened within the organization. “There are clubs that want to take a step back and go back again so that we are not the rectors of European basketball. We do not participate. We believe in the initial spirit of the Euroleague,” said the manager responsible for the basketball section of the FC Barcelona.
The Euroleague is immersed in the most difficult moment since its birth in 2000, with a series of clubs (among which are Maccabi, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos) demanding a change of direction and the removal of the CEO Jordi Bertomeu, something that seems to have already been decided and will be executed at the end of this season. The economic crisis that many clubs are experiencing due to the pandemic and the disappointment in the economic management of the competition, which they consider has the capacity to generate more income, are the root of the current discontent of these clubs.
At the same time, there have been three-way talks between the Euroleague, the FIBA and the NBA To discuss the future of European basketball and the newspaper Marca announced on Thursday that the NBA’s project to create a competition in Europe that could absorb the Euroleague or, if that is not possible, compete with it, is well advanced.
“The Euroleague is a successful competition. What can things be improved? Sure. What is a difficult time? Sure. But we have to move on. And his spirit has to continue,” he said Cubells.
Regarding the replacement of Jordi Bertomeu, Cubells affirmed that “all the changes can be but Bertomeu has the Euroleague in the head. He has been the rector of a successful format and we trust him”.
Besides Barça, the other two Spanish clubs in the Euroleague (Real Madrid and Baskonia) also support the current direction of the competition, although they have not positioned themselves publicly.