▁and ▁Super vis ory ▁Board ▁chairman , ▁Ax el ▁Schwe itzer , ▁decided ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁next ▁step ▁towards ▁a ▁permanent ▁presence ▁in ▁international ▁competition ▁and ▁appropriate ▁presentation ▁options . ▁The ▁An schutz ▁Group , ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁O 2 ▁World ▁Berlin , ▁and ▁Al ba ▁Berlin ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 5 - year ▁contract ▁until ▁ 2 0 2 3 , ▁with ▁an ▁option ▁for ▁another ▁ten ▁years . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁reign ing ▁German ▁champion , ▁Al ba ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 0 9 ▁Euro le ague . ▁There , ▁the ▁team ▁reached ▁the ▁Top ▁ 1 6 , ▁where ▁it ▁could ▁not ▁hold ▁its ▁ground ▁against ▁European ▁el ite ▁clubs ▁like ▁FC ▁Barcelona , ▁Real ▁Madrid , ▁and ▁Mac c abi ▁Tel ▁Av iv . ▁Yet , ▁Al ba ▁had ▁Europe ' s ▁highest ▁attend ance ▁at ▁ 1 1 , 2 6 4 ▁spect ators ▁in ▁the ▁O 2 ▁World ▁Berlin . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁club ▁gathered ▁ 1 4 , 8 0 0 ▁spect ators ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁round ▁home ▁game ▁against ▁Union ▁Olimp ija , ▁a ▁record ▁crowd ▁at ▁a ▁European ▁Cup ▁game ▁in ▁Germany . ▁While ▁at ▁the ▁national ▁level ▁in ▁the ▁cup ▁final , ▁Al ba ▁defeated ▁B ask ets ▁Bonn . ▁Later , ▁Al ba ▁was ▁be aten ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁play - off ▁semi - final ▁series ▁in ▁five ▁games . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1