By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After winning the 2023 ACB Championship and ending a three-year tenure under Sarunas Jasikevicius, Barcelona underwent significant changes last summer. Roger Grimau took charge, and the roster saw significant alterations.
However, despite these efforts, the Catalan team concluded the 2023/24 season without trophies, failing to reach the EuroLeague Final Four or even the ACB Finals.
Following a sweep by Real Madrid in the semifinal series, Barcelona’s sporting director, Juan Carlos Navarro, reflected on the season and discussed future plans.
“I want to apologize to the fans; they have been amazing from the very beginning. Attendance has been higher than ever. The team has shown effort in this last match, and nothing can be blamed on them. We could discuss the refereeing; I believe we are always heavily influenced, and Vesely‘s expulsion was crucial, as it was in the Copa del Rey final. To the fans, I say we will continue striving as we have been. We will make adjustments, for sure, to compete more. Regarding our European campaign, I believe we performed adequately; ultimately, the fifth game against Olympiacos slipped away in three minutes. If we had won that game, many things would have changed,” Navarro said.
He indicated that Barcelona fell short of their goals and emphasized the need for imminent changes.
“It has been a season in which we have not achieved our goals. It was a transition season, as everyone knows, with many changes. However, we failed to capitalize; for example, losing the fifth game against Olympiacos or being swept 3-0 in a semifinal. We are somewhat disappointed by everything that has transpired. We invite you to reflect in the coming days, as Roger mentioned. We will hold another press conference in the coming days or weeks to communicate our decisions. Personally, I believe that changes are necessary because we have not met the objectives we all aspired to.”
Uncertainty looms regarding the future of Roger Grimau in the head coaching position.
“It needs to be considered, reflected upon, and discussed with Roger Grimau as well. Not all blame falls on the coach; some players did not perform at the required level. No one lived up to expectations, and we included ourselves in that category. Mistakes were made, and lessons must be learned. We are eager for the upcoming year to commence, but I cannot provide a definitive answer regarding Roger Grimau’s future.”
In conclusion, Navarro acknowledged, “It was a gamble—a radical change with a significantly reduced budget and a new coach—that did not yield the desired results. Now, we must contemplate the future.“