The LDLC Arena awaits the first Spanish team to set foot on its floor
MADRID, 7 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Valencia Basket visits ASVEL Villeurbanne this Friday (9:00 p.m.) during matchday 13 in the Regular Phase of the Euroleague, to face a match that will be played on the LDLC Arena field, home of the French club since this fall after saying goodbye to Astroballe.
In a boost to its basketball section, the OL Groupe has found a shiny new home for the club that has been headed in the offices since 2014 by the award-winning Tony Parker. However, the Lyon team has not yet won a European victory in its brand new pavilion, as a sign of its poor record (2-10) in a Euroleague that is choking on it.
Not in vain, the squad coached by Gianmarco Pozzecco won for the last time in the top continental tournament on November 15 (68-73 at ALBA Berlin, matchday 8). And to top it all off, the other victory that stands out in his locker also occurred away from home (88-91 against Zalgiris Kaunas, matchday 6).
Valencia Basket will want to take advantage of this, which this week ended the bad course it had been taking through Europe for weeks. They did it by beating Red Star, 85-81 and suffering more than necessary, having squandered their comfortable half-time advantage (56-40) in the third period.
It then had the support of the Fuente de San Luis Pavilion, a great asset for the 'taronja' team in this first section of the 2023/24 academic year. But far from his public the matter changes for Álex Mumbrú's pupils, who has his entire squad to face this important duel.
Conceding a defeat on the LDLC Arena floor would mean returning to a dangerous path, gradually throwing away an excellent start to the season. The Valencian team has suffered from certain absences in both the Endesa League and the Euroleague, and point guard Guillem Ferrando is still ruled out for this match.
“It is true that ASVEL has only two victories in the Euroleague, but at home they have continually had everyone on the ropes and the other day against Maccabi they were ahead the entire game and in the end they lost. They have already had three or four matches very close to winning them and we know it will be difficult,” Mumbrú warned at a press conference.
It will be the eighth time that Valencia Basket plays a European competition match against this rival on French territory. The first seven were played at the Astroballe, a cursed fiefdom for the 'taronja' team due to its six defeats in the first six visits. But last year that particular curse was broken with a victory (79-83).
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
ASVEL VILLEURBANNE: Lee, Lighty, Luwawu-Cabarrot, Lauvergne and Fall –possible starting quintet–; Dallo, Scott, Kahudi, De Colo, Jackson, Egbunu, Ndiaye and Yaacov.
VALENCIA BASKET: Harper, López-Arostegui, Puerto, Inglis and Davies –possible starting five–; Jones, Reuvers, Pradilla, Claver, Ojeleye, Robertson, Hermannsson, Jovic and Touré.
–ÁRBITROS: Pukl, Koljensic y Tsaroucha.
–PAVILLION: LDLC Arena.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar Plus+.