By Mutlu Demirtastan
ISTANBUL (AA) - Italian clubs have been enjoying a good performance in European football, while Spanish teams have triumphed in European basketball this season, the 2022/2023 season fixture.
In football, five Italian teams reached the semifinals in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
In basketball, six Spanish representatives reached the quarterfinals of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the semifinals of the Champions League and 7Days European Cup.
- Football
This season five Italian clubs reached to semifinals in European competitions; AC Milan and Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, Juventus and Roma in the UEFA Europa League, and Fiorentina in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
The Italian teams, which were forces to reckon with in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s European football, returned to their good old days with their performances this season after falling back due to the Calciopoli scandal in 2006.
Juventus won the Champions League title in 1984-1985, 1995-1996, Milan in 1988-1989, 1989-1990, 1993-1994, 2002-2003, 2006-2007 and Inter in 2009-2010.
Napoli won the UEFA Cup (rebranded as UEFA Europa League in 2009) in 1988-1989, 1989-1990, Juventus in 1992-1993, 1990-1991, 1993-1994, Inter in 1997-1998, Parma in 1994-1995 and 1998-1999.
AS Roma became the first champion of the Europa Conference League, which was held for the first time last year.
- Basketball
This season, Unicaja and Lenovo Tenerife reached the semifinals of the Basketball Champions League, while Gran Canaria and Joventut Badalona reached the semifinals of the 7Days European Cup.
Barcelona and Real Madrid reached the quarterfinals of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
While Spanish teams took part in six of the last 10 finals of the EuroLeague, Real Madrid became the champion in the 2014-2015 and 2017-2018 seasons of these finals.
Competing in 10 of the last 15 finals of the 7Days European Cup,
Spanish teams won 6 championships.
Real Madrid took the trophy to its museum in the 2006-2007 season, while Joventut Badalona won in 2007-2008, Unicaja in 2016-2017, Valencia in 2009-2010, 2013-2014 and 2018-2019 seasons.
Spanish clubs have won four of five Basketball Champions League finals.
Lenovo Tenerife won the trophy in the 2016-2017 and 2021-2022 seasons, while San Pablo Burgos bagged it in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons.
*Writing by Selcuk Bugra Gokalp