FC Barcelona's basketball team faced another setback as they lost to Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) with a score of 74-78 in their EuroLeague matchup at Palau Blaugrana. This defeat marks their seventh loss in their last nine games, deeply affecting their playoff aspirations.
The match began with excitement as Barcelona opened strong, boasting a 10-0 lead fueled by Chimezie Metu, who returned from injury and scored eight consecutive points. Yet, the visiting Serbian team kept their composure and responded effectively, flipping the script with a 19-5 run of their own, ending the first quarter trailing only slightly.
Head coach Joan Peñarroya’s squad looked promising initially, but inconsistency soon haunted them. Despite briefly regaining the lead with gripping plays, including amazing shots by players like Darío Brizuela who made nearly impossible three-pointers, Barcelona struggled to manage momentum during the game’s final moments.
The turning point came late in the game when Barcelona and Crvena Zvezda were deadlocked at 74-74. A poor decision by Kevin Punter led to him committing an offensive foul, allowing Crvena Zvezda to regain possession. With just 19 seconds left on the clock, Dejan Davidovac landed the decisive three-pointer, boosting the visitors back up and leaving Barcelona scrambling.
“We’ve paid for our poor shooting percentages, and they took advantage of their offensive rebounds at key moments,” Peñarroya commented post-game, clearly frustrated by the persistent issues plaguing his team.
The statistics were telling of Barcelona’s crippling inefficiencies. They made 51.4% of their two-point attempts but only 40% of their three-pointers, markedly less than Crvena's 62.9% and 26.7%, respectively. Such disparities are hard to ignore, especially when coupled with their 11 turnovers compared to the 12 by Crvena Zvezda.
Going forward, the team must regroup as they take on Real Madrid next. The urgency is palpable, and Peñarroya knows significant improvement is necessary to avoid falling even lower within the EuroLeague standings.
This loss signifies not just another defeat, but also the urgent need for Barcelona to rectify its approach as they head toward what promises to be exceptionally tough competition against their long-time rivals. The absence of key players like Nicolás Laprovittola, who remains sidelined for the season, emphasizes the need for those available to step up significantly.
Meanwhile, Ioannis Sfairopoulos, coach of Crvena Zvezda, noted his team's resilience throughout the game, indicating how the team adapted well to the absences of significant players like Milos Teodosic and Branko Lazic due to injuries.
Looking back, Barcelona's streak of victories against Crvena Zvezda might be over, as this loss breaks their long-standing dominance over the Serbian team, which previously had not beat them since January 2015.
With the EuroLeague season progressing, both teams face the necessity of consistency to reach their respective goals. Crvena Zvezda now has their eyes set on parlaying this victory to improve their own standings, leveraging the high spirits following their performance.
Please join us next time for continued coverage and updates as this EuroLeague season draws near to its climax!
