2009–10 Euroleague
| 2009–10 Euroleague | |
|---|---|
| League | Euroleague |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | September 29 — October 9, 2009 (Qualifying) October 15, 2009 – May 9, 2010 |
| Season | |
| Season MVP |
 Miloš Teodosić (Olympiacos) |
| Top scorer |
 Linas Kleiza (Olympiacos) |
| Final Four | |
| Champions |
 FC Barcelona
|
| Runners-up |  Olympiacos |
| Final Four MVP |
Juan Carlos Navarro (FC Barcelona) |
The 2009–10 Euroleague was the 10th season of the professional basketball competition for elite clubs throughout Europe, organised by Euroleague Basketball Company, and it was the 53rd season of the premier competition for European men's clubs overall. The season featured 24 teams from 13 different countries. This season marked the first time in the modern era that a qualifying round was used to determine the last two teams for the regular season. The qualifying round started on September 29, 2009, with the opening game of the proper Euroleague played on October 15, 2010, with a match between Maccabi Electra and Union Olimpija. The season ended at the 2009–10 Euroleague Final Four, which was hosted at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France, with the semifinals on May 7, and the Final on May 9, 2010.
For the first time in the modern Euroleague era, a preliminary stage was used to determine the last two teams in the regular season. 8 teams competed in qualification rounds, of which the 2 winners advanced to the regular season stage. Those teams joined 22 teams that had qualified directly to the regular season stage.
A maximum of three teams could qualify from any one country through their league position. However, 14 clubs held Euroleague Basketball "A Licenses", giving them automatic spots in the Euroleague Regular Season through 2011–12, regardless of their domestic league finish. These licenses were granted via a formula that considers each team's performance in its domestic league and the Euroleague; the television revenues Euroleague Basketball collects from its home country; and the team's home attendance. The clubs that held A Licenses were:
Games were played on September 29 and October 2. Winners advanced to the second preliminary round, while losers parachuted into the Eurocup.
Game 1 of each match was played on October 6. Game 2 of the Benetton Treviso-Orléans match was played on October 9, and Game 2 of Maroussi-Alba Berlin was played on October 11. The winners of each match advanced to the Regular Season, with the losers parachuting into the Eurocup.
...
Wikipedia