By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
On Friday night there’s an El Clasico at the Palau Blaugrana! FC Barcelona Lassa and Real Madrid are going to clash once again, for the 8th game of the regular period. Following their battles with Olympiacos Piraeus and Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens respectively on Wednesday, the Spanish giants have their own appointment and at the same time the Greek giants will be fighting each other in Athens!
A classic matchup in recent years, is the one between Ante Tomic and Felipe Reyes, who were teammates for three seasons in Madrid. The Croatian ace is in his 8th season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and his 5th as a Barcelona player.
Born in 1987, he is the most classic pivot player in the league and he’s charismatic in offense. He’s capable of scoring in many ways with both hands from the paint and he’s also a great passer, not just form the low post but even from the high post. In all his seasons with Barcelona so far he’s had a double-digit number of points. In 2013 and 2014 he was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team and in 2015 to the Second Team. With Barcelona he has won a Spanish championship and cup.
His opponent, Reyes, at 36 years of age, is one of the most successful veterans in the EuroLeague! He counts 13 seasons in the competition, 12 of those as a player of Real Madrid and now as the Queen’s captain. A European champion in 2015 and named to the All-EuroLeague First Team, he’s proven that he’s going through his second adolescence!
He has tallied a double-digit number of points in the last two seasons and he’s consistently one of Pablo Laso’s key players, contributing in all areas of the game. The top rebounder in the history of the league with 1513 in total and third in appearances with 263!
Reyes has won numerous domestic titles in his career at the club level (five Spanish championships and five cups), but his collection at the national level is also pretty impressive since he belongs to Spain’s golden generation!
As a member of the Furias Rojas he has 4 gold medals to his credit (one in the 2006 FIBA World Championship and three in the 2009, 2011, and 2015 European championships), three silver medals (EuroBasket 2003, 2005, and 2007), one bronze (EuroBasket 2001), and of course the two silver medals in the Olympic Games are a unique accomplishment! One in 2008 in Beijing and one in 2012 in London.
Every player has their own individual journey and in every El Clasico a new, different chapter is written in the history of clashes between the two great Spanish clubs! The last of the 16 games that closes the curtain of the most thrilling week of all time in the EuroLeague, could not have been other than the Barcelona – Madrid! Recharge your batteries and… #GameOn!