Virtus Bologna

Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna is a prominent Italian basketball club, based in Bologna. Virtus will return to Italy's top division for the 2005-06 season after two years in the second division.

Related Topics:
Italian - Basketball - Bologna - 2005 - 06

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Virtus was founded in 1879 as a gymnastics club, and fielded its first professional basketball teams in the 1920s. The club has won 15 national league titles in Italy's top division and 8 Italian Cups. It has also been a frequent participant in the Euroleague, the basketball equivalent to football's Champions League. Virtus' best season, as measured by trophies won, was 2000-01, when it won the Italian league, Italian Cup, and Euroleague titles. It also won the Euroleague in 1998.

Related Topics:
1879 - Gymnastics - 1920s - Euroleague - Football's - Champions League - 2000 - 01 - 1998

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However, several key members of Virtus' treble-winners left immediately after that accomplishment. After the 2001-02 season, Manu Ginobili, the Euroleague Final Four MVP in 2001, left for the NBA. At the end of the 2002-03 season, Virtus suffered relegation from Italy's top flight as a result of financial problems.

Related Topics:
2001 - 02 - Manu Ginobili - NBA - 03

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The local derby between Virtus and Fortitudo Bologna is one of the most intense in the entire world of sports.

Related Topics:
Local derby - Fortitudo Bologna

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Virtus' home stadium is PalaMalaguti.

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