Ivanovic, the night to light up the season. For the Black V it is a Cup full of meanings

Immediately the most difficult obstacle, but for this very reason even more captivating and stimulating. It is a Virtus heartened by the victory against Tortona and eager to give the fans and the club a Coppa Italia as the protagonist, the one that will face the Inalpi Arena in Turin at 20.45pmArmani Milano, in the quarter-final challenge. In the first round of the Final Eight, which today also includes Brescia-Tortona, the teams that on paper are the big favorites for the Cup and the championship will already face each other. A match that comes too early, in this final eight, thanks to a difficult start on both sides with Virtus and Milan, fourth and fifth at the halfway point. It is true that the Italian Cup is a story in itself, Napoli, winner of the last edition, is confirmation of this, and it is equally true that the competition can represent a turning point for those who manage to take it home.

La Virtus arrives at the Cup encouraged by the Casale Monferrato performance against Tortona, but also with the awareness of the importance of a competition that has not been its own since the 2001-2002 season when in Forlì - still with Ginobili and Rigaudeau - it defeated Siena 79-77 to win its eighth laurel. The importance comes from the possibility of relaunching the season, but also from the desire of president Massimo Zanetti who no later than a couple of weeks ago, on the day of the announcement of the change of ownership, underlined that the tricolor rosette of the Italian Cup was the only goal that had been missing since its black and white course began (excluding the Euroleague, obviously). A rosette that takes on an even more important value if you think about the vicissitudes that Virtus has gone through this year. The board of directors was revolutionized, with the farewell to Luca Baraldi and the arrival of Marco Comellini at the helm, while waiting for further certainties for the future, the black and white team also had to deal with an initial difficulty that also led to a technical revolution, with the resignation of Luca Banchi, just over two months ago, and the arrival on the bench of Dusko Ivanovic.

The Montenegrin coach himself presents tonight's challenge with Milan in this way. "The Italian Cup is certainly a special competition where every single match is decisive. It will not be possible to make too many mistakes and we will have to play with energy and great concentration". A fundamental challenge for Ivanovic and for the Black V who, historically speaking, will find themselves facing, sitting on the Armani Milano bench, that very Ettore Messina, coach of that Virtus that in 2002 raised the last trophy. The match will be directed by the trio Attard, Giovannetti, Lo Guzzo. Live on Eurosport 1, Dmax, Dazn and radio on Nettuno Bologna Uno.