Anadolu Efes to face Armani Milan, both clinch playoffs

ANKARA

Turkish basketball club Anadolu Efes on Friday will visit Italian opponents AX Armani Exchange Milan to end the 2020-21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague regular season.

Both clubs have already qualified for the playoffs.

Third-place Anadolu Efes won 22 games but lost 11 others in the EuroLeague.

AX Armani Exchange Milan are currently in the fourth spot, having a 20-13 win/loss record.

Russia's CSKA Moscow bagged 23 wins to finish second in the EuroLeague regular season led by Spain's Barcelona.

Barcelona earned 24 victories to top the standings.

CSKA Moscow guaranteed their position, having the tie-break advantage against Anadolu Efes.

If Anadolu Efes would end the regular season third and AX Armani Exchange Milan came sixth after Round 34, the teams will play again in the playoff stage.

Barcelona, CSKA Moscow, Anadolu Efes, AX Armani Exchange Milan, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Fenerbahce Beko have qualified for the playoffs.

Spanish team Valencia Basket and Russia's Zenit St Petersburg are fighting for the last ticket.

Valencia have a 19-15 win/loss record as they played all their games. But the Spanish club, who are now in the eighth spot, are waiting for the results of Zenit's two matches.

Zenit won 18 games and lost 14 to come ninth in the standings.

The Russians have to win their two remaining matches to be in the playoffs; one against Israel's Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Friday and the other one against the Greek club Panathinaikos OPAP Athens on Monday, which was a postponed Round 6 game due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Valencia are waiting for Zenit's one loss against Maccabi or Panathinaikos.

If Zenit lose one of these games, Valencia will automatically qualify for the next stage.

Valencia or Zenit, the team that will finish the regular season in the eighth position, will take on Barcelona in the playoffs.

Round 34 between AX Armani Exchange Milan and Anadolu Efes will be played at Mediolanum Forum in Assago near Milan on Friday.

The match will tip-off at 8.45 local time in Italy (1845GMT).