Virtus Bologna has announced the termination of Duško Ivanović’s contract as head coach of the first team, along with the departure of his assistant, Nenad Trajković. The club expressed its sincere gratitude to both Ivanović and Trajković for their professionalism, dedication, and hard work during their tenure, wishing them the best in their future careers. Nenad Jakovljević will now assume the role of head coach, supported by assistants Daniele Parente and Cristian Fedrigo.
Reports suggest that a significant internal conflict between Ivanović and key player Carsen Edwards was a major contributing factor to the coach’s dismissal. This disagreement reportedly led to a deep division within the team. Evidence of this tension surfaced when Edwards, a crucial point guard, was benched against Reggio Emilia and played only nine minutes in the subsequent game in Milan. Ivanović publicly stated after the Milan match that Edwards’ reduced playing time was “my decision; he has no physical problems.”
The Montenegrin coach, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the current season, joined Virtus Bologna in December 2024, taking over from Luca Banchi. During his tenure, he notably led the team to an Italian championship title last season, securing a dominant 3-0 victory against Brescia in the finals.
