El Clásico becomes a chase against Baskonia
Barça and Real Madrid, to amend their setbacks from the previous day
MADRID, 15 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça and Real Madrid will face each other this Sunday (6:30 p.m.) at Palau Blaugrana during matchday 27 of the Endesa League, both trying to make amends for their respective setbacks in the previous matchday, which gave Baskonia the solo lead that despite everything could not round off his good week, since he was eliminated from the Euroleague.
Even with the hangover from the top tournament on the ‘Old Continent’, culés and meringues return with a Clásico to the ACB League to correct mistakes and pursue the Baskonista team. Barça’s defeat on their visit to Bilbao Basket (82-80) meant wasting a good opportunity to become the leader.
Not surprisingly, 24 hours earlier Real Madrid had lost on the Río Breogán pitch (96-72). Thus, the Sunday shift of matchday 26 opened the door for Baskonia to break the tie from the triumvirate that was at the top of the league. Their obligation, at home, was to beat BAXI Manresa.
With that motivation, Joan Peñarroya’s pupils defeated their rival 107-92 and signed their 22nd win so far in the ACB League, one more than those accumulated by Barça and Real Madrid. Of course, both Barcelona and Madrid later had their homework done in Europe.
The week-to-week Euroleague event, for the 34th and last day of the regular phase, gave Baskonia a heart-stopping and bitter night, missing out on the quarterfinals. Barça was paired with Zalgiris, while Real Madrid did the same with Partizán.
RECOVERING PLAYERS WITH AILMENTS, A KEY ASPECT
Already having their match against the Kaunas team in mind, Barça recovers Nikola Kalinic for this Clásico, who stopped for a few days in the league as a precaution after a minor ailment. In addition, Mike Tobey has his token deactivated, so he would have to be registered to play the game.
Regarding Real Madrid, Nigel Williams-Goss rested in European competition and Adam Hanga finally did not suffer from his pain in his left knee. Vincent Poirier underwent surgery last week for acute appendicitis and has also deactivated his record for the moment.
In addition, Rudy Fernández played 7 minutes of filming during the week in the duel lost by the meringues against Maccabi Tel Aviv (100-96), while Sergio Llull is already training with the group led by Chus Mateo, so he could reappear in the Palau Blaugrana.
DATASHEET:
–EQUIPMENT:
BARÇA: Laprovittola, Satoransky, Kalinic, Mirotic and Vesely –possible starting five–; Higgins, Abrines, Da Silva, Paulí, Sanli, Tobey, Kuric, Jokubaitis and Nnaji.
REAL MADRID: Williams-Goss, Causeur, Musa, Cornelie and Tavares — possible starting quintet — Llull, Deck, Yabusele, Hanga, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Abalde and Ndiaye.
–HALL: Palau Blaugrana.
–TIME: 18.30/#Let’s go.