Bologna Derby


The Bologna Derby, also called Basket City derby, is the name of the basketball local derby in Bologna between Virtus Bologna and Fortitudo Bologna.

Matches List

1966-67 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Gianfranco Lombardi, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 15 December 1966
Top Scorer: Gianfranco Lombardi, 29 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 19 March 1967

1967-68 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Gianfranco Lombardi, 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 21 January 1968
Top Scorer: Gianfranco Lombardi, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 31 March 1968

1968-69 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Giampaolo Orlandi, Massimo Cosmelli 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 8 December 1968
Top Scorer: Guglielmo Granucci, 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 23 February 1969

1969-70 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Gary Schull, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 21 December 1969
Top Scorer: Gary Schull, 29 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 15 March 1970

1970-71 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Gary Schull, 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 13 December 1970
Top Scorer: Gianfranco Lombardi, 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 7 March 1971

1971-72 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: John Fultz, 27 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 2 January 1972
Top Scorer: Gary Schull, 25 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 19 March 1972

1972-73 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: John Fultz, 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 3 December 1972
Top Scorer: Gianni Bertolotti, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 11 March 1973
Italian Cup Round of 16
Top Scorer: Gary Schull, 20 points
Arena: PalaSpettacolo, Cremona, 28 April 1973

1973-74 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: John Fultz, 25 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 12 January 1974
Top Scorer: John Fultz, 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 13 April 1974

1974-75 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Tom McMillen, 37 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 27 October 1974
Top Scorer: Ron De Vries, 29 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 12 January 1975

1975-76 season

Serie A Championship Group
At the time, a 8 teams group followed the end of the regular season of the two top tiers in Italy in order to assign the Scudetto.
In this season, Fortitudo entered as the 2nd team of Serie A2.
Top Scorer: Fessor Leonard, 21 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 25 January 1975
Top Scorer: Fessor Leonard, 31 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 14 March 1976

1976-77 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Gianni Bertolotti, 25 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 7 November 1976
Top Scorer: Fessor Leonard, 37 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 2 January 1977

1977-78 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: John Roche, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 30 October 1977
Top Scorer: Jeff Cummings, 33 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 4 January 1978

1978-79 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Marcellus Starks, 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 27 December 1978
Top Scorer: Jeff Cummings, 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 11 March 1979

1979-80 season

No derbies were held due to Fortitudo being in A2 and no cup ties drawn.

1980-81 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Charles Jordan, 29 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 9 November 1980
Top Scorer: Marcellus Starks, 26 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 7 January 1981

1981-82 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Charles Jordan, 34 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 25 October 1981
Top Scorer: Marcellus Starks, Charles Jordan 32 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 6 January 1982
Serie A1 Round-Robin phase
Top Scorer: Marcellus Starks, 39 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 7 March 1982

1982-83 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Zam Fredrick, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 24 November 1982
Top Scorer: Renato Villalta, 26 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 27 February 1983

1983-84 season

Note: Fortitudo was playing in A2 in this season.
Italian Cup Preliminary Round
Top Scorer: John Douglas, 28 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 22 September 1983
Top Scorer: Renato Villalta, 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 26 October 1983

1984-85 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: John Douglas, 30 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 11 November 1984
Top Scorer: Roberto Brunamonti, 27 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 7 February 1985

1985-86 season

Note: Fortitudo was playing in A2 this season.
Italian Cup Round of 32
Top Scorer: John Douglas, 29 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 26 September 1985
Top Scorer: Sam Williams, 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 9 October 1985

1986-87 season

Italian Cup Round of 32
Top Scorer: Renato Villalta, 26 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 17 September 1986
Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Greg Stokes, George Bucci 21 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 26 November 1986
Top Scorer: Roberto Brunamonti, 31 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 1 March 1987

1987-88 season

Note: Fortitudo was playing in A2 this season.
Italian Cup Round of 32
Top Scorer: Bill Garnett 21 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 29 September 1987
Serie A Playoffs Round of 16
At the time the two best placed teams of Serie A2 entered the Serie A Playoffs in the round of 16.
Game 1
Top Scorer: George Bucci 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 10 April 1988
Game 2
Top Scorer: Wallace Bryant 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 13 April 1988

1988-89 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Michael Ray Richardson 33 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 20 November 1988
Top Scorer: Vincent Askew 28 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 5 March 1989

1989-90 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: George Bucci 22 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 23 December 1989
Top Scorer: Michael Ray Richardson 26 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 8 April 1990

1990-1993 seasons

There were no derbies play from April 1990 until September 1993 due to Fortitudo playing in A2 and no Cup ties drawn during this time spawn.

1993-94 season

Italian Cup Round of 16
Top Scorer: Vincenzo Esposito 27 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 12 September 1993
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 16 September 1993
Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 31 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 16 October 1993
Top Scorer: Paolo Moretti 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 6 February 1994

1994-95 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Paolo Moretti 26 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 30 October 1994
Top Scorer: Vincenzo Esposito 28 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 4 March 1995
Serie A1 Round-robin phase
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 27 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 22 March 1995

1995-96 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Arijan Komazec 28 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 29 October 1995
Top Scorer: Aleksandar Đorđević 27 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 4 February 1996
Serie A1 Round-robin phase
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 27 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 30 March 1996

1996-97 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 31 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 24 November 1996
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 31 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 9 March 1997
Serie A1 Playoffs Semifinals
Game 1
Top Scorer: Conrad McRae 18 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 20 April 1997
Game 2
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 27 April 1997
Game 3
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 44 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 29 April 1997

1997-98 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 26 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 23 November 1997
Italian Cup Semifinal
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 28 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 30 January 1998
Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Dominique Wilkins 22 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 15 March 1998
Euroleague Quarterfinals
Game 1
Top Scorer: Hugo Sconochini 20 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 24 March 1998
Game 2
Top Scorer: Dominique Wilkins, Predrag Danilović 23 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 26 March 1998
Serie A1 Playoff Finals
Game 1
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 34 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 17 May 1998
Game 2
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 30 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 21 May 1998
Game 3
Top Scorer: Dominique Wilkins 20 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 24 May 1998
Game 4
Top Scorer: Antoine Rigaudeau 17 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 28 May 1998
Game 5
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 27 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 31 May 1998

1998-99 season

Italian SuperCup Final
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers, Alessandro Abbio 17 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 20 September 1998
Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Predrag Danilović 16 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 1 November 1998
Euroleague Regular Season
Top Scorer: Alessandro Abbio 22 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 14 January 1999
Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Bill Edwards 29 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 7 February 1999
Euroleague Regular Season
Top Scorer: Antoine Rigaudeau 21 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Casalecchio di Reno, 11 February 1999
Euroleague Semifinal
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 18 points
Arena: Olympiahalle, Munich, 20 April 1999

1999-00 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 23 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 4 December 1999
Top Scorer: Hugo Sconochini 22 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 25 March 2000

2000-01 season

Serie A1 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 20 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 23 December 2000
Top Scorer: Gianluca Basile 22 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 17 March 2001
Euroleague Semifinals
Game 1
Top Scorer: Manu Ginóbili 22 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 27 March 2001
Game 2
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 23 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 29 March 2001
Game 3
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 3 April 2001
Serie A Playoffs Finals
Game 1
Top Scorer: Manu Ginóbili 24 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 14 June 2001
Game 2
Top Scorer: Antoine Rigaudeau 21 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 16 June 2001
Game 3
Top Scorer: Carlton Myers 33 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 19 June 2001

2001-02 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Gregor Fučka 20 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 17 November 2001
Top Scorer: Marko Jarić 29 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 24 March 2002

2002-03 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Emilio Kovačić 19 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 16 November 2002
Top Scorer: Gianluca Basile 30 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 23 March 2003

2003-05 seasons

No derbies were held between March 2003 and December 2005 as Virtus was banned in 2003 from entering the 2003-04 Serie A due to heavy debts.
Claudio Sabatini acquired the Virtus debts and formed FuturVirtus, a phoenix club which obtained permission to reform Virtus in 2004 after the ban was lifted, by acquiring the rights of Progresso Castelmaggiore, a club from the Bologna province playing in Legadue. Virtus eventually returned to Serie A by winning the 2005 Legadue Playoffs.

2005-06 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: David Bluthenthal 27 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 4 December 2005
Top Scorer: Sani Bečirovič 21 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 15 April 2006

2006-07 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Travis Best 17 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 29 October 2006
Top Scorer: Christian Drejer 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 11 March 2007

2007-08 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Horace Jenkins 22 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 3 November 2007
Top Scorer: Horace Jenkins 27 points
Arena: PalaMalaguti, Bologna, 2 March 2008

2008-09 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Keith Langford 20 points
Arena: FuturShow Station, Bologna, 7 December 2008
Top Scorer: Marcelo Huertas 24 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 29 March 2009

2009-2016 seasons

In 2009 Fortitudo suffered a shock relegation to Legadue, and was subsequently forced, due to debts, to voluntarily relegate further to Serie A Dilettanti.
After winning promotion to Legadue at the first attempt, the club didn’t manage to complete the registration to Legadue due to the financial debts: Fortitudo was banned from the Italian leagues and subsequently folded.
In the summer of 2010 the first phoenix club emerged, as Fortitudo SG, the multi-sports company where Fortitudo Pallacanestro originated, began to sponsor Pallacanestro Budrio, which subsequently started to play at PalaDozza and wear Fortitudo robes and logo as Fortitudo Budrio, in Serie B.
In 2011, as the owners of Fortitudo Budrio acquired the Legadue rights and license of Basket Club Ferrara, Società Cestistica Fortitudo Bologna was formed.
However, in the very same summer, the former owner of the folded Fortitudo, Gilberto Sacrati, acquired the Serie B rights of Gira Ozzano and formed Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna.
The Italian federation, due to the ban applied in 2010 on the original Fortitudo, forced the first club to rename to Biancoblù Basket Bologna and the second to Eagles Basket Bologna.
The two phoenix clubs eventually merged in 2012, when Eagles folded and Biancoblù acquired the club, the license and the naming rights of the original Fortitudo via judicial auction of the Tribunal of Bologna.
In the summer of 2013 Fortitudo was subsequently officially reformed with the original name and gained promotion to Serie A2 in 2015.
Virtus, in the meantime, struggled in Serie A and suffered the first shocking relegation of its history to Serie A2 in 2017.

2016-17 season

Serie A2 Regular Season
Top Scorer: Michael Umeh 29 points
Arena: Unipol Arena, Casalecchio di Reno, 6 January 2017
Top Scorer: Michael Umeh 17 points
Arena: PalaDozza, Bologna, 14 April 2017

2017-19 seasons

No derbies were held as Fortitudo was playing in Serie A2 and Virtus was playing in Serie A.

2019-20 season

Serie A Regular Season
Top Scorer: Kyle Weems 32 points
Arena: Virtus Segafredo Arena, Bologna, 25 December 2019

Virtus Honours

Domestic competitions

Domestic competitions

Players

Vasil had two stints for Fortitudo, while his younger brother Ilian played for Virtus. They were the first, and so far the only, brothers to play against each other in a Derby.
John was a star for Virtus in the 70s and later became a coach in the team’s academy, while his son Robert was a product of Fortitudo academy and later went on to play in the first team.
Teoman was a star player for Fortitudo during the 1992-93 season and later served the club as General Manager. His older son Mirza followed his steps and began his career in 2010 with Fortitudo Budrio, while his middle son Amar signed with Virtus in May 2020.