Barça pursues persistence against CSKA
BARCELONA, 16 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça receives CSKA Moscow this Wednesday at the Palau Blaugrana, on matchday 10 of the Euroleague Regular Phase, in a duel in which they will face a historic ‘bogeyman’ and in which they will seek persistence and regularity that they were conspicuous by their absence in the last duel of the Endesa League.
They are different competitions, but in this Euroleague the team has shown those momentary lapses that can cost defeats. Barça, recovered from two setbacks at home, showed their best face against Baskonia but now, against a CSKA that is also looking for fresher air, they will have a tough test.
The Blaugranas remain undefeated at home, but that unexpected defeat against Valencia Basket in the Endesa League once again revealed those doubts, that lack of persistence that Sarunas Jasikevicius always wants to see in his team, and more so against a CSKA who he praised for being almost always involved in battle and being a regular at the ‘Final Four’.
The absence of this duel between historical of the competition could be that of Cory Higgins, whose low back pain will prevent him from playing against his former team except for a last minute surprise. Without more casualties to regret beyond that of Abrines, Barça will try to continue to strengthen at home against some Russians who want to look up.
Without a doubt, the mirror in which to look at yourself is that last European match against Baskonia, which they beat 93-67 with a great Nikola Mirotic, author of 25 points. Now, the Spanish-Montenegrin will face Tornike Shengelia in one of the most notable private duels. The Russians, who come from beating Maccabi and ending three defeats in a row, will try to continue on that good path.
At CSKA, coach Dimitris Itoudis is still in suspense and pending to recover men. In the past day he could not have Nikola Milutinov, Alexander Khomenko or Johannes Voigtmann. However, he got Tornike Shengelia back a long time ago and the team has a good core.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
BARÇA: Calathes, Laprovittola, Hayes-Davis, Mirotic and Sanli –possible initial quintet–; Davies, Martinez, Smits, Orihuela, Kuric, Jokubaitis, Caicedo.
CSKA MOSCOW: Lundberg, Shved, Kurbanov, Shengelia and Bolomboy -possible starting five-; Ivlev, Hackett, Antonov, Clyburn, Lopatin, Faried, Grigonis.
– REFEREES: Lottermoser, Latisevs and Petek.
– PAVILION: Palau Blaugrana.