By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The looming uncertainty surrounding the ownership of Virtus Bologna has cast a shadow over the club’s roster stability as they approach a pivotal offseason. While president Massimo Zanetti has expressed a willingness to entertain offers for the historic franchise, the King of Coffee emphasized that any successor must be prepared to maintain the team’s elite trajectory.
“If someone comes along who wants Virtus, and has the desire and the resources, I’ll sit down and listen,” the 78-year-old owner of Segafredo told La Repubblica. He noted that at nearly eighty years old, he is considering the long-term future of the club beyond its scheduled move to a new arena in 2026.
This transition period coincides with a disappointing 17th-place finish in the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, a result that led to the dismissal of Dusko Ivanovic and the appointment of Nenad Jakovljevic. Despite remaining at the top of the Italian LBA UnipolSai standings, the lack of a long-term EuroLeague license and the potential change in leadership have made Virtus a primary target for rival scouts, with market reports indicating that several key players are being closely monitored by European powerhouses.
Zanetti remains defiant regarding the team’s immediate competitiveness, urging fans to support the 37-year-old Jakovljevic as injured players return for the domestic playoffs.
Since taking over in 2016, he has led a decade of rapid expansion, taking the club from Serie A2 to the 2021 Scudetto and the 2022 7DAYS EuroCup title. After recently buying back shares to return to full command, Zanetti’s stated goal remains to lead the franchise until the move into a new permanent arena. However, the final chapter of his tenure now rests on finding a successor with ‘plenty of resources’ to protect the club’s hard-won legacy.