By Carmen Herrero
Euroleague play offs are about to start and the result in at least one series should be clear in advanced, taking a look at this season’s record of FC Barcelona in Euroleague (15-1). However, Unics Kazan will have no pressure and its only duty will be to play its game and defend its place as the second best defense (Barca in the first). This newcomer in the play offs will test the FC Barcelona; a team that shows signs of not being on top form.
The team managed by Xavi Pascual, already in his fourth season as head coach, is going through an erratic beginning of 2012. Which are the reasons or the signs for this situation? In the Spanish National League, FC Barcelona is currently on the second place of the table, with the same number of wins as Real Madrid, which means already five losses, when last season they lost seven games in the whole regular season (still nine games to go).
But the Euroleague regular season plus the Top 16 meant a record for the Catalonians with just 1 loss in 16 games. So it could be daring to say that FC is in crisis after losing the King’s Cup final to Real Madrid, the eternal rival, and two games in a row of the Spanish league’s regular season. But there is something in this version of the FC Barcelona which does not convince and seems to be failing.
Is this Barca too dependent on Navarro? The guard born in San Feliϊ de Llobregat almost 32 years ago has been dragging an injury since past December and the team has been going downhill at the same time. FC Barcelona has one of the most complete rosters in Europe, with players wanted by any of the best teams and names eclipsing one to another. But Navarro is not the same; he has not recovered completely from the injury in his left foot, a fracture of the plantar fascia. However, a team with players such as Sada, Mickeal or Lorbek should be able to develop a game able to clear up any shadow left by his absence. Also, Chuck Eidson has just returned after the injury in his knee in the King’s Cup, and this could have been part of the problem for the team.
Apart from being a tough team with the best defense by far in Euroleague (61.4) and Spanish League (64.28), Pascual’s team is not on the top 3 of best attacks in any of the two competitions. The style is similar, the systems are almost the same as they were last season, and even the number of shots taken in every game is almost identical to last year, so something is wrong, at least for the two last months.
FC Barcelona won Obradoiro in 25th day of Spanish League. Navarro scored 16 points in almost 23 minutes; Eidson played 8 minutes and had 2 points. The team is now complete again and seems ready to face the Euroleague play offs. So, there is no doubt we will see the best FC Barcelona of the season just on time for both Euroleague and Spanish League.