In less than a month, Cajasol Sevilla will launch their bid to reach this season's EuroCup.

Before their Qualifying Round 2 first-leg game against either Frankfurt Skyliners or MBC Nikolaev, however, they will be engaged in battles in arguably the toughest domestic competition in Europe, the ACB.

Coach Manel Comas and his young squad were reminded over the weekend that nothing will come easy in Spain this season when they suffered a 69-68 defeat at Ricoh Manresa.

Comas and Co went into the final quarter of that game trailing by 13 points, only to fall by one in the end.

On Thursday, Cajasol have to take on Unicaja Malaga, one of the giants in the ACB.

The coach says there is cause for optimism.

"We have constructed a team with young people that have immense potential to improve and these players have the backing of experienced players," he said.

"We have the team we want and that gives us the possibility to have players that can play in several positions.

"That allows teams like us, who are playing in two competitions, to have a high standard because competitiveness within a team is always good.

The club has a Georgia international in American Tyrone Ellis, who turned 31 over the weekend, and other veterans in ACB stalwarts Elmer Bennett, who is 38 years old, and ex-Spain international Inaki De Miguel.

Ellis had 15 points in the defeat to Manresa while Bennett, the former standout at Tau Ceramica, Real Madrid and DKV Joventut, had six assists to go with his four points.

De Miguel, who turns 35 on October 25, had six points and six rebounds in the opener.

Cajasol have also brought in the gifted Michal Ignerski from WTK Anwil Wloclawek and he had a great first game with 17 points.

Among the youngsters are Mile Ilic, a 24-year-old Serbian who has returned to Europe from the New Jersey Nets after battling injury problems in the United States, and Warren Carter, a 23-year-old American.

"We go with humility, but ambition, into both the European and ACB competitions," Comas said.