EuroLeague Final Four 2011 in Barcelona!

De finale om het belangrijkste Europese basketballtoernooi voor clubteams zal in 2011 in Barcelona worden gehouden. Zie het bijgesloten persbericht van EuroLeague BasketBall.Euroleague Basketball is pleased to announce Barcelona as the host city for the 2011 Euroleague Final Four. With conversations between Euroleague and the Municipality of Barcelona for a future Final Four being at an advanced stage, both parties are confident that the city is ideal to host the final of the top European club competition on the weekend of May 6-8 at the Palau Sant Jordi. &quotEuroleague is happy and confident in bringing a world class event such as the Final Four to Barcelona,&quot Euroleague CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. &quotBarcelona is renowned as city that has hosted world class sporting events. In addition to our close relationship with the Municipality, the professionality and experience of B:SM, the facilities such as the former Olympic venue Palau Sant Jordi as well as excellent infrastructure make the city of Barcelona an ideal city to host a Final Four.&quot &quotWe feel proud and privileged to host the Final Four in Barcelona. Barcelona will be the sports capital of the world for those citizens who love and practice it,&quot Mayor of Barcelona Jordi Hereu added. &quotBarcelona and basketball will be references. The collaboration between Barcelona and the Euroleague will be a model and a future reference for everyone.&quot It will be the third time that Barcelona& 39s Palau Sant Jordi will host the Euroleague Final Four. In 1998, Kinder Bologna lifted its first Euroleague trophy by downing AEK Athens 58-44 in the title game behind 14 points from Antoine Rigaudeau. AEK& 39s 44 points stay as an all-time low-scoring record in a Euroleague final. In 2003, FC Barcelona seized the Euroleague crown at home with a brilliant 76-65 victory over Benetton Treviso. Dejan Bodiroga was voted MVP for leading the champions with 20 points. Barcelona had made it to five Euroleague finals in the previous 19 years but could not lift the trophy – until that night. Barcelona also host the 1969 European Cup final. In one of the best European club competitions title games of all-time, CSKA Moscow downed Real Madrid 103-99 in double overtime. Vladimir Andreev led the winners with 37 points. Ardenak Alachachan became the first person to win Europe& 39s top competition as player and coach.