by Tonci Radelja, Intercity League Director
The 12th edition of Intercity League team (ICL), has ended in January with a close win of Haskovo (Bulgaria), over Galway (Ireland). The 13th edition starts today, 10th of March, but new teams can still enter before the second round (write to radelja@gradst.hr or contact me on BBO where I am cobRAD).
There are three groups of eight teams; first three from groups A and B and first two from group C will make the final eight knockout stage.
Eleven teams are from Croatia and five are from other ex-Yugoslavian regions; seven of them are in group C. The quality of these teams varies from intermediate to very good; many players play in regional premier leagues, so don’t expect easy job against any of them.
Two teams are from Italy: Ascoli Piceno is the Turbin’s team, with two pairs playing the Neapolitan Club System; they have won twice the ICL title. The other is new: Borgo Petilia (Caltanissetta, Sicily); this team plays in B series in Italian Championship.
Should someone ask me to predict winners, here are my favourites:
Group A: Ascoli Piceno, Edinburgh, Wales United and Zagreb.
Group B: Haskovo, Konstanz, Skopje and Borgo Petilia.
Group C: Čačak, Cloonbo and Mali Bukovec.
Tonci, haven’t you forgotten to quote some favourite in group B? Galway (Ireland), has beaten my team in the last edition semi-final, losing only -5 in the final against Haskovo.
Yes, surely I did … so 5 favorites there!. Maybe the strongest group?