MIES (Switzerland) - There have been four champions in the still young history of the Basketball Champions League, two of them from Spain, and both were drawn on Tuesday in Group J of the 2020-21 Play-Offs.

Tenerife are definitely the primary candidate to win the BCL trophy this year - Joan Peñarroya

Reigning champions Hereda San Pablo Burgos and Lenovo Tenerife, who won the inaugural edition of the BCL back in 2017, will face off in Group L with VEF Riga, who are playing in the BCL Play-Offs for the first ever time, and Igokea who joined the league for the first time this season.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina team had to go through the Qualifiers back in September in order to make it to the Regular Season, so their campaign so far is reminiscent of the Burgos fairytale last year, which as we all know had a very happy ending indeed.

"We knew it was going to be a group with a certain degree of difficulty and that is indeed what happened. We have ahead of us a month of March loaded with games, which will be a big test for all of us teams that are competing in two competitions at the same time," said Burgos head coach Joan Peñarroya in a statement released by the club.

Let's see if both Spanish teams have the good fortune to advance from this group, so as to represent Liga Endesa in the best possible way - Tenerife sporting director Aniano Cabrera

"Igokea had a great run in the Regular Season and they left out of the Play-Offs a team as good as Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem. They have proven to be a very solid team that becomes stronger when they play at home.

"VEF Riga are used to playing in the final stages of competitions and have an excellent track record of winning in their domestic league. They showed in the Regular Season they are capable of being very effective.

"As for Tenerife, there is really not so much to say, they are definitely the primary candidate to win the BCL trophy this year.

"This group is both attractive and difficult, we will approach it eager to compete and to win each game and if that is our mindset, we will certainly have our chances to advance to the Final 8," the Spanish coach concluded.

The Spanish clubs, that also play very successfully in their national league, are obviously the group favorites - VEF Riga president Gatis Jahovics

The respect between the two Spanish clubs is of course mutual but, just like Burgos, Tenerife are also very mindful of the VEF Riga and Igokea and not just of their Spanish rivals.

"Igokea are currently in second place in the ABA Adriatic league standings, they have high-level American players and domestic players with international experience," Lenovo Tenerife sporting director Aniano Cabrera told championsleague.basketball

"They evidently qualified to the Play-Offs ahead of teams such as Hapoel Jerusalem and Limoges CSP, so we have nothing but a lot of respect for them. Another factor for us is that playing there requires a very long and complicated trip.

"We faced VEF Riga in last year's BCL Regular Season, they have a lot of good Latvian players and foreign players who are performing at a high level and have helped the team to be much more competitive than last year. Travelling to Riga is also complicated for us but it's always nice to play in that modern arena and face high-quality players."

"Burgos are the reigning BCL champions, they are about to represent Europe in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup and they are very clear candidates to make it to the Final 8.

"Let's see if both Spanish teams have the good fortune to advance from this group, so as to represent Liga Endesa in the best possible way. We, as Lenovo Tenerife, always have high expectations and we hope to be once again in the Final 8."

Burgos and Tenerife are obviously the... elephants in the kitchen and it's impossible to look past them when entering any discussion relevant to this group.

"I have mixed feelings after this draw," VEF Riga president Gatis Jahovičs said in a statement released by the club in the wake of Tuesday's draw.

"We didn't get any of the European 'giants' from the second pot, but we'll be able to test our strength against two teams that have triumphed in the BCL in the past.

"The Spanish clubs, that also play very successfully in their national league, are obviously the group favorites.

"It won't be easy, but it was clear before the draw and there were only the 16 best teams left in the competition.

"Our goal is certainly to fight for victory in every game."