On Tuesday March 20 the basketball Euroleague 2011/2012 quarter-finals will start. This round will be played in a playoff series to the best of five games in which each team that was ranked first in their group will face one of the Top 16 teams that finished second in another group.

The formula is the 2-2-1: game 1 and game 2 will be played on Tuesday 20 / Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 / Friday 23 at the home of the teams that won their Top 16 group, Game 3 and, if necessary, Game 4 will be played on Tuesday 27 / Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 / Friday 30 at the home of the teams that placed second in their group. If necessary, Game 5 will be played on Wednesday April 4 / Thursday April 5 at the home of the teams that won their Top 16 group.

CSKA Moscow – Bizkaia Bilbao Basket

CSKA Moscow lost its first game in the Euroleague in the Top 16. Bizkaia Bilbao Basket after a barely sufficient regular season played a good Top 16 helping to surprisingly eliminate Real Madrid. I think CSKA Moscow could win even in three games because the Russians will try in any way to win in Bilbao to avoid having a longer series.

Montepaschi Siena – Olympiacos Piraeus

Montepaschi Siena keeps on showing that it’s a team of great cohesion and despite a few injuries it played a good Top 16. Olympiacos Piraeus keeps on doing the bare minimum to get through the round always having ups and downs. Montepaschi Siena is definitely the favourite and even if it won’t easy to win away in my opinion it can win in four games.

Panathinaikos Athens – Maccabi Electra

Those are two teams with coaches and players of great experience, however Top 16 wasn’t very good for Maccabi Electra. Panathinaikos Athens is the favorite but it won’t be easy to win in Tel Aviv so in my opinion it could win only at the fifth game.

Regal FC Barcelona – Unics Kazan

Regal FC Barcelona keeps on showing it’s the most credible alternative to CSKA Moscow as a potential winner of the Euroleague finishing the Top 16 undefeated. Unics Kazan played an overall good Euroleague but I think Barcelona will win this series in three games.

The winners of the quarter-finals will compete in the Final 4 to be held in Istanbul between May 11 and 13. Though all Turkish teams were eliminated we’ll definitely have fun!