The Barça looks for another key victory
The blaugrana do not trust a Panathinaikos that, despite losing in Valencia, continues to rise
BARCELONA, 15 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça receives Panathinaikos this Friday (8:30 p.m.) at the Palau Blaugrana, on matchday 14 of the Euroleague Regular Phase, with the intention of continuing the important victory in Monaco and against a Greek team that arrives after losing in Valencia and, even so, in clear improvement.
The double-header week will be round for Barça if they manage to win against PAO in their fiefdom. It won’t be an easy task, but neither was winning in the Principality and Sarunas Jasikevicius’ men ended the Monegasque streak with the 63-69 victory at Salle Gaston Medecin.
Now, at the Palau, with the intention of continuing to straighten the course after previously losing at home against ASVEL Villeurbanne, they receive a team that despite that defeat at La Fonteta (94-91) had previously chained four victories in a row.
The greens arrive with a euphoric Dwayne Bacon. Since his arrival, the Athens team has gone up and, in Valencia, he left with 22 points and being the top scorer for his team. “Many balls are played – the most in the Euroleague – and he has the ball. It is difficult to stop in transition and one-on-one,” warned the Blaugrana coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius, in the preview.
So Barça, if they want to avoid a second defeat in a row at the Palau Blaugrana, will have to focus a good part of their defensive efforts on stopping Bacon and avoiding losses that could allow the Hellenes to run on the counterattack. “Those who play the most are in great shape and it shows in their balance,” added ‘Saras’.
The feeling in the ‘culer’ team is to win, whatever the cost. Especially after that victory in Monaco, key to recovering strength and mental energy. “After a victory like the one in Monaco, it’s important not to take a step back,” said the Lithuanian coach, who will continue to dose Nikola Mirotic, after his long injury and absence, but seeking the best of his leader.
Against AS Monaco he was the best, with 15 points in just 22 minutes of play. But many others must get on his bandwagon if Barça wants to close the double day during the week with full victories. Thus, by the way, he would stop the recovery of Panathinaikos and would go on to 10 wins in the table.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
BARÇA: Laprovittola, Satoransky, Kalinic, Mirotic and Sanli –possible quinteto initial–; Higgins, Tobey, Vesely, Kuric, Jakobaitis, Da Silva y Nnaji.
PANATHINAIKOS: Wolters, Bacon, P.Kalaitzakis, Williams y Papagiannis –possible quinteto inicial–; Lee, G. Kalaitzakis, Chougkaz, Ponitka, Mantzoukas y Gudaitis.
–REFEREES: Boltauzer, Latisevs and Bissang.
–HALL: Palau Blaugrana.