By Alex Madrid/ info@eurohoops.net
The matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona never last just for 40 minutes. “El Clásico” is always a topic of conversation for days. Some of these clashes are remembered for months. Others are carved in the memories of basketball fans forever.
Who does not remember the bombs of Juan Carlos Navarro, the impossible shots of Sergio Llull, or Luka Doncic scoring from his house?
It’s time for the new episode of one of the greatest rivalries in the history of sports, if not the greatest. And here are seven games which are still remembered from the modern EuroLeague era.
The first “clásico” – 2004-05 Top 16
Barcelona 84-71 Real Madrid
Top scorers: Juan Carlos Navarro (Barcelona, 20 points); Elmer Bennett (Real Madrid, 25 points)
We have become accustomed to the current EuroLeague format which produces at least two “clásicos” in each season since 2016-17. However, it was not always so. On March 3, 2005, Barcelona and Real Madrid met in a European competition for the first time since 1996.
The Whites were leading 58-53 against a team led by coach Manolo Flores, who was making his debut on Barça’s bench. Soon, the “Man of the Clásicos” would appear and decide the first confrontation between both teams in the modern EuroLeague. An extraordinary Juan Carlos Navarro made 8 free throws without a miss in the final moments to assure the comeback victory.
It’s not nostalgia to mention that Navarro was supported by a great Dejan Bodiroga (29 performance index rating) on the way to the win.
The Llull explosion – 2008-09 Top 16
Real Madrid 85-83 Barcelona
Top scorers: Sergio Llull, Louis Bullock (Real Madrid, 18 points) – Juan Carlos Navarro (Barcelona, 20 points)
A very young Sergio Llull appeared on the big scene with a leading role for the first time. In that game, Barcelona dominated the scoreboard for 39 minutes and was close to conquering the Madrid on its own floor. However, the hosts would end up winning.
Llull, who had was baptized in the world of the “clásicos” a year earlier, led a 9-0 run near the end, culminating the comeback with a triple from the corner. It was the first time that Sergio became “The Incredible Llull”.
Barça would soon return the favour to Madrid at the Palau Blaugrana and both teams would get a ticket for the playoffs.
A dreamlike Final Four qualification – 2009-10 Playoffs
Real Madrid 78-84 Barcelona
Top scorers: Sergio Llull (Real Madrid, 20 points) – Juan Carlos Navarro (Barcelona, 21 points)
After losing one of the matches played in Barcelona, the team of coach Xavi Pascual arrived in the Spanish capital with the aim of stopping Ante Tomic.
Ettore Messina’s Real Madrid had found in the current captain of Barça a real tower in the playoffs series against the almighty Blaugrana group. However, Tomic was burdened by fouls in a game that Madrid needed to win in order to avoid elimination.
Juan Carlos Navarro and Ricky Rubio combined to score 40 points and make it to the Final Four. It’s was a qualification much more significant than the one achieved in 2006 against the eternal rival, since Barça captain Roger Grimau would end up lifting the trophy in Paris.
The end of an era – 2013-14 Final Four
Barcelona 62-100 Real Madrid
Top scorers: Ante Tomic (Barcelona, 16 points) – Sergio Rodríguez (Real Madrid, 21 points)
A year earlier, Real Madrid had managed to defeat Barça at the London Final Four thanks to a great last quarter. This time – even though Pablo Laso didn’t smile in the end, as happened in London – the “clásico” held in Milan was historic. Nikola Mirotic and Sergio Rodríguez were the heroes of a feat that lost value because of what happened two days later to Madrid in the final against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
After the first quarter, which ended in a 20-20 tie, nobody could predict what was going to happen. Madrid simply destroyed Barça, achieving the greatest victory in a semifinal of the EuroLeague.
Since then, Barcelona has been unable to get back to the Final Four.
A Captain America “clásico” – 2015-16 Top 16
Real Madrid 86-87 Barcelona
Top scorers: Sergio Rodríguez (Real Madrid, 18 points) – Justin Doellman (Barcelona, 24 points)
If a game decided on the buzzer is dangerous for anyone with a heart condition, imagine what may happen at this “clásico”.
Barca was visiting Real Madrid in the Top 16 and managed to escape with the crucial win thanks to Justin Doellman. With the game tied at 85, Xavi Pascual ordered Shane Lawal to commit a foul on Felipe Reyes and Barcelona gained the chance to win the game after Madrid’s captain missed the first free throw.
And that allowed ‘Captain America’ – aka Justin Doellman – to silence the fans in the Spanish capital at the buzzer.