Barça faces a demanding trip to Bologna
BARCELONA, 5 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça visits Virtus Bologna this Wednesday at the Virtus Segafredo Arena (8:30 p.m.), on matchday 12 of the Regular Phase of the Euroleague, in a complicated outing to the fourth-placed court and which has a Tornike Shengelia who is in a great moment of form and is the main threat for a Barça that, however, hopes to continue with its good streak of play and results.
To combat the cold that this start to December brings with it, Barça faces one of the most complicated visits of this first round. Virtus Bologna has only lost one game at home, the first one they played on October 5 against Zalgiris. Since then, he has added up the games along with his penchant for victories.
And, although they are more irregular away from home, the mere presence of Tornike Shengelia, with an average of 16.7 points, is already intimidating. “Shengelia is playing very well, assuming a lot of prominence both in the direct block and in the low post, in the open field. She is playing really well,” highlighted the Blaugrana coach, Roger Grimau, in the preview.
A Blaugrana coach who is “up to date” and without looking beyond Bologna, despite it being a double-day week. “We have been able to distribute more to some players and less to others, but the main thing is to win victories,” the Catalan relativized.
On the last day, the Blaugranas achieved their third consecutive victory, after those of Valencia Baskey and Maccabi Tel Aviv, by beating ASVEL Villeurbanne at the Palau Blaugrana by 101-92, in another 'culer' offensive celebration. Barça continues to let its hair down in attack and, in Bologna, it could continue along that path that is bearing such good results.
Furthermore, against the French, Barça added its ninth victory and took advantage of Real Madrid's first European defeat, in extra time against Fenerbahçe, to move within one of the whites, still leaders. And they did it, of course, suffering more than expected against one of the teams from the lower zone and despite going 10-2 at the start.
On the Italian side, Luca Banchi's men want to leave behind that tough defeat of the last day at Bayern Munich's home (90-76), despite the great performance of Marco Belinelli and Toke Shengelia, authors of 22 and 15 points respectively.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
VIRTUS BOLOGNA: Hackett, Smith, Belinelli, Shengelia and Dunston –possible starting quintet–; Cordinier, Lundberg, Pajola, Dobric, Cacok, Mickey and Abass.
BARÇA: Satoransky, Laprovittola, Parra, Parker and Vesely –possible starting quintet–; Brizuela, Abrines, Kalinic, Da Silva, Paulí, Hernangómez and Jokubaitis.
–REFEREES: Lottermoser, Foufis and Boubert.
–PAVILLION: Virtus Segafredo Arena.
–TIME: 20.30/Movistar+.