Europe tests the Catalan boy who smashed televisions with a ball

BarcelonaZoran Cikusa, a former Serbian handball player from the 1980s, put down roots in Bordils, where his twin sons were raised. When they were barely able to walk, Petar and Djordje were already spending hours playing with a ball. Their energy led to the breaking of several televisions, as the little ones used the screen as a goal. A few years later, Catalan Petar Cikusa wants to help Barça close out another glorious cycle with another Champions League title.

"We're arriving in a very good dynamic. The team is serious and very focused. We showed this character in the Copa del Rey, knowing that the season hasn't been easy. But now comes the best, what we all want to play. We're all at 100 percent to give our all in Cologne," says Cikusa.

The Barça player, who renewed his contract until 2029, knows he's no longer going unnoticed. "The club has trusted me, they've shown me they want me here. Now it's my turn to repay that trust with work, effort, ambition, and dedication, both on and off the court," he says. Last season he played in the final four Even though I'm a junior, the responsibility is greater now. "The truth is, I'm still getting my bearings. This is my second year as a professional, and I'm still learning what it means to play at that level. Little by little, with everyone's trust, I'll get the hang of it," he says.

Pedro's progression, how Bordils was renamed, has been accompanied by greater maturity off the court. "I'm very young, and when you're young you want to do everything. This season has helped me realize where I am. I feel mentally prepared for the rest of the season and also for next year. It's time to work hard," confesses Cikusa, who motivates himself by listening to Vunna's songs.

Ten of his teammates will leave this summer, a Barça forced to reinvent itself, but he doesn't plan on changing scenery. "Renewing with Barça, the best club in the world, is a dream for me. It's been a dream since I was little, but renewing twice in one year is the best thing that's ever happened to me," admits the center back, who joined the club as a youth player and has since played through all the youth categories until reaching the first team. "Playing a final four It's the dream of any kid starting out at the youth level. Being able to be in the first team now is incredible. It's been a complicated season, but we're coming in with a lot of enthusiasm and a desire to compete," he says.

Barça uses Cikusa to provide mentoring at La Masia. He does it in his own style, abandoning politically correct statements. "When I was your age, I didn't take my job seriously. I took advantage of the opportunity that opened up for me because of Domen Makuc's injury, but without putting in the effort, it wouldn't have been possible. He has to put in the effort: on the court, in the gym, off the court. And he has to think about the collective," says the Catalan. Cikusa is very clear when he talks about the importance of nutrition. "Eating a hamburger won't help him. You have to eat well, with vegetables if necessary, and let him rest."

"I'm still a kid, the youngest on the team, but on the court I have to be myself. With the teammates I have and the coaching staff, who help me every day, I have to keep going at 100 percent and give it my all," he reflects.

Black Beast

Barça's opponent in the semifinals is Magdeburg, a sort of Barça bête noire. "As everyone knows, when Magdeburg and Barça play each other, a lot always happens. They're very intense matches. I think if we want to win, we have to be a point ahead of them and stay focused for the full 60 minutes. We have to give our all and take advantage of any dip in momentum to make the difference. The key is to be in the game, to believe in ourselves, to believe in ourselves, to believe in the game," he summarizes.