Real Madrid is put to the test against an improved and in tune Barça
The Madrid team and the Blaugrana are experiencing their third Clásico in just over a month with the lead and undefeated record in the Euroleague at stake
MADRID, 25 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid and Barça will meet again this Thursday (8:45 p.m.) at the start of the season, this time in the Regular Phase of the Euroleague 2023-2024 and in a different situation, especially for the Blaugrana team, which seems to be finding his best form and will try to put an end to Madrid’s streak.
This Clásico will be the third time both teams meet since they met in the semi-final of the Endesa Super Cup in Murcia on September 15. So, the victory was clear for Chus Mateo’s team (90-80), who repeated it weeks later on their home field, in the Endesa League, and also with some comfort (86-79).
However, while the current European champion has maintained and raised its upward trend, the current Spanish champion has also managed to raise its level of play and the coupling of its renewed squad and will appear in the capital ready to end the streak. of twelve consecutive victories for his undefeated rival, supported by an optimal dynamic of seven in a row in his case since losing at the WiZink Center.
The Classic will also put at stake the leadership of this Regular Phase between the only two teams that have been able to win their first four games and present their firm candidacy for the always important ‘Top 4’ which is what gives the ‘court factor’ in the ‘Playoffs’.
And Real Madrid and Barça have started very strongly in the top continental competition, with very offensive basketball that has already led them to average 90.8 and 89.5 points per game. This will mean that the defenses must function at their best level, with a Catalan team fine-tuned in this sense and that must stop a machinery that works in attack well-oiled and supported in moments of inspiration on decisive occasions.
The eleven-time European champion will face its third consecutive match at the WiZink Center, where it debuted last week in the doubleheader with victories against Zalgiris and Armani Milan, while Roger Grimau’s team, which has just swept Bayern of Pablo Laso last week (98-59), has been able to win on two complicated fields like those of Olympiacos (68-77) and Partizan (83-92).
The Madrid team also arrives reinforced compared to its last meeting with the Blaugranas, since on this occasion it will be able to count on two key pieces such as Walter Tavares and Gaby Deck. The presence of the Cape Verdean always hurts the ‘culers’ and Roger Grimau will need not only the best version that Jan Vesely is offering but also that of a Willy Hernangómez who was ‘missing’ in the previous two Clásicos. The Madrid native has to take a step forward to compensate for the theoretical local superiority in the ‘painting’ due to the presence of Vincent Poirier in his best form.
On the outside, the two teams are tuned from the launch of three and the duel between the two Argentine point guards, Facundo Campazzo and Nicolás Laprovittola, will be key, who are bordering on a high level at this beginning of the season and are also key for Mateo and a Grimau knows that this match can be a definitive turning point for his confidence and his project.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
REAL MADRID: Campazzo, Deck, Musa, Yabusele and Tavares — possible starting quintet–; Poirier, Hezonja, Sergio Rodriguez, Rudy Fernandez, Llull, Ndiaye, Causeur and Abalde.
BARÇA: Satoransky, Laprovittola, Kalinic, Da Silva and Vesely –possible starting quintet–; Brizuela, Hernangómez, Abrines, Parker, Nnaji, Jokubaitis and Parra.
–REFEREES: Belosevic, Nedovic and Kardum.
–PAVILLION: WiZink Center.
–TIME: 20.45/#Let’s go.