The dead end that explains the crisis of the Barcelona basketball team

BarcelonaGetting the basketball section back on track is the first big challenge for Xavier O'Callaghan, who was appointed Barça's new director of professional sports a few weeks ago. The former handball player, a man who has Joan Laporta's full confidence, adds the coordination of sporting decisions to the management side that he already controlled. "When the president asks you to do something, you can't say no. I had no doubts," he acknowledged a few days ago in an interview on TV Vandellòs.

Barça's basketball team faces the decisive stretch of the season without the authorization to spend money on reinforcements and with the resignation that it will have to compete with the resources it has. Unlike its rivals, who have made moves to replace injured players, the Blaugrana team will have to manage to offer a solid version without Nico Laprovittola and, for a few weeks, without Jan Veselý or Kevin Punter. The Czech pivot is injured in the femur of his right knee and the American guard is recovering from a tendinopathy in the biceps of his left shoulder.

Another player with problems is Darío Brizuela, who is dragging some discomfort in the Achilles tendon of his right ankle. "The days off have been good for us because of the wear and tear of the injuries we have. They have served to treat ourselves, and now we are working with our minds set on Thursday's game because from now on we are playing for the two most important titles," the Basque guard admits. "It's good to have a couple of days to do one reset and refocus on what is most important, which is the play-off", adds Justin Anderson.

Barça visits Real Madrid on Thursday, a rival against which it has lost the three previous encounters this season. It will be the first match after the defeat in the Copa del Rey, in which the blue and red team was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The culé team occupies the ninth position in the Euroleague, a position that would give it the right to play the play-in prior to the title fight. The Catalans are seventh in the Endesa League.

Joan Peñarroya's project has accumulated more defeats than imagined, having lost 23 of the 48 games played. "We must be self-critical. The team should have offered a better response," says the coach from Egar, who has been biting his tongue for weeks in order not to make public his displeasure at the lack of reinforcements. After the bad experience of Raul Neto, who could only play two games due to injuries, and from the cider mill that was set up with Thomas Heurtel, the club has closed the door to the safe. If a reinforcement arrives, the financial expense must be minimal. The club considers that the example of football is valid.

Juan Carlos Navarro and Mario Fernández admit mistakes, but consider that the club has paralyzed some interesting operations. The general manager and the technical secretary ask Peñarroya to get more out of the squad. The relationship with Josep Cubells, the director responsible for the basketball section, has seen better times. "If people knew the signings that could have arrived and that have not gone ahead, they would put their hands on their heads," said David Carro, Thomas Heurtel's agent, a few days ago.

"We must be self-critical and we have been, and even in times of media noise the team has closed ranks, and these positive results have been seen," said Cubells the last time he made public statements, before the Copa del Rey. "The technical department is still working and, if we see a player who can provide us with added value, the club would be willing to acquire him," he said.

Lapro, motivated

"I'm doing very well. My knee is slowly working; I'm gaining a lot of muscle and regaining strength in my right leg. I'm meeting deadlines and following the club's protocol. In two weeks I'll start running and in April I'll start track work," says Laprovittola, who will miss the rest of the match.