Xavi Pascual's four key points to transform Barça in eight weeks

BarcelonaXavi Pascual arrived at Barça with very clear ideas. Once he understood that he would have little room to make player adjustments this season, the coach from Gavà focused on the things he could directly influence. His transformation involves four key areas, and he has set an eight-week period for the metamorphosis to become visible. "We need two months to reach the level we want, both technically and tactically," the coach summarizes.

The first issue involves optimizing the available resources and making all the players useful. Pascual has spoken with all the players and is trying to reintegrate players like Juani Marcos, Youssoupha Fall, and Miles Norris, who had fallen out of favor during Joan Peñarroya's tenure. Òscar Orellana, the interim coach who led the team for three games, already gave him a lot of work ahead of him, lengthening the rotation. His priority was for all 12 players called up to get minutes during the first two quarters so that everyone would be involved by halftime. Pascual has continued along these lines and, in addition, has optimized the rotations, making them more balanced. "I don't want to sign anyone until I see how they actually train," argued the coach, who is very aware of the section's financial limitations.

The player Pascual cites as an example is Toko Shengelia, to whom he conveyed his desire to make him captain in the future. The coach wants to use his work ethic as a model for the rest of the team. "He's a coach who pays close attention to detail. He wants us all to be on the same page, both defensively and offensively," says the Georgian power forward.

The second area of focus is strengthening the defense so it can consistently maintain a solid performance. Pascual has emphasized defensive transitions, defending against pick-and-rolls, and the importance of collapsing the defensive zone to reduce space for the attackers. Any movement by the opponent requires greater effort, as the coach disrupts both passing lanes and player movement. body checks They are constant, and the congestion they cause increases. Individual responsibility also gains strength, and defensive rotations are simplified.

The third aspect of the work involves limiting errors. Pascual is a coach who heavily penalizes players who lose the ball or break defensive rules. Conversely, players who limit their mistakes increase their prominence. The most obvious case is that of Myles Cale, who has a similar playing time to teammates with much more offensive talent, such as Kevin Punter or Will Cluburn.

The consequence is that the attacks, which are more organized and rehearsed, prioritize order. If there is a fast break opportunity, it is taken, but if not, the offensive approach is more deliberate than under Peñarroya. Offensive roles are more defined. The scores of the first two games (a 74-73 loss and a 61-72 win) reflected this perfectly.

The fourth pillar on which Pascual wants to build Barça's metamorphosis is physical improvement. "For the kind of basketball I need, I want my players to be 100% physically fit on both ends of the court. This isn't a criticism of anyone, but we need to train at a high level to compete at a high level, and it will come," says the coach, who, beyond the arrival of his trusted right-hand man, Íñigo Zorzano, doesn't plan to make any changes to the coaching staff and will focus more on some organizational dynamics.

Trident negotiator

Josep Cubells, the director in charge of the basketball section, did not participate in the negotiations with Xavi Pascual. While Jordi Trias's integration was being expedited, Joan Laporta delegated the responsibility of reaching an agreement to Xavi O'Callaghan, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Mario Fernández. The reason is that Pascual's agent is David Carro, who also represents Thomas Heurtel. When the signing of the French point guard fell throughCarro publicly criticized Cubells. "It's very difficult to work with someone who isn't up to the task and who is holding up many other signings," he lamented.