The ‘Penya’ receives Barça in its black-and-green hell
The even series (1-1) arrives in Badalona and may not return to the Palau
BARCELONA, 7 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The series of the Catalan derby between Joventut and Barça arrives equal to Badalona after two hits in opposite directions at the Palau Blaugrana, so the ‘Penya’ hopes to take advantage of an Olympic factor at all, something that their rival culé could not do, and prevent this ‘Playoff’ semifinal from returning to the Catalan capital.
The Olímpic can decide in favor of their ‘Penya’ but also in favor of Barça. The two teams need to add two victories in this series that, given what has been seen, could also need a fifth, last and decisive match at the Palau. But the locals, after already giving a machada, want to assert their ‘verdinegro hell’.
After fourteen years without getting into the ‘Playoff’ semifinals and after winning at the Palau Blaugrana after 8 drought seasons, ‘Penya’ believes. A faith protected in their good second round, in which they recovered from the tough opening defeat in Barcelona. And with solid arguments to believe in being able to continue putting the best of the Regular Phase on the ropes.
Of course, the green and black coach, Carles Duran, is prudent. “Dreaming is free, but we must be realistic, we haven’t achieved anything yet”, he recognized in the preview of this third pulse, the first in Badalona and to which they arrive after achieving their first objective; win a match in a rival fief.
However, Duran still has the loss of the still unpublished in the series Vladimir Brodizansky, and adds the doubt of Andrés Feliz, with a sprained left ankle from which he hopes to recover. The base, author of 12 points in the last 81-87, is quite important within the green and black aspirations.
For its part, Barça knows that it did not do its homework by not retaining the court factor. They must win at least once in Badalona to return to the Palau alive, although the main objective would be to win twice in the Olímpic to get the ticket and avoid agonies.
It is not an easy task at all, and they proved it this season in the Regular Phase with an 83-72 loss. Those of Sarunas Jasikevicius, who arrive in principle without casualties or last minute hits to a key appointment at the rival’s house, are warned, in a verdinegro hell that they must survive if they do not want to miss the last great train that lies ahead.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
JOVENTUT: Ribas, Busquets, Parra, Willis and Birgander –possible starting quintet–; Happy, Paul, Bassas, Ventura, Vives, Tomic), Maronka, Brodziansky.
BARÇA: Calathes, Laprovittola, Hayes, Mirotic and Sanli –possible starting quintet–; Abrines, Martínez, Smits, Davies, Exum, Kuric, Jokubaitis.
–REFEREES: Pérez Pérez, Caballero and Serrano.
–PABELLÓN: Palau Municipal d’Esports de Badalona.
–TIME: 21.00/#Let’s go.