FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.03.2007 17:32

Third edition of the clásico

Winterthur FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet today (Saturday, 19:00, La2) for the one hundredth time in the ACB. It is the third time the sides have played each other this season, their last encounter being the Copa del Rey final.

There will be an extraordinary atmosphere at the Palau Blaugrana for the visit of the league leaders. As Ivanovic said in a press conference, the objective is to win “and therefore maintain the positive dynamic”. The sides come into the game in differing form. Ivanovic’s side, despite the recent defeat in a meaningless game in Istanbul, are 9-1 from their last ten ACB games, while Catalan coach Joan Plaza has seen his side hit on a poor streak after starting the season 13-0.

Statistical duel: If we look at the statistics, there is a lot to get excited about. This is the first time this season that the two teams have been first and second in the ACB table. After 24 games, Dusko Ivanovic’s side are second with an average 89.5 points per game, having improved considerably on a very slow start to the season.

Real Madrid have averaged 96 evaluation points a game, and have the best offensive stats in the competition, scoring an average 84.9 points a game. Barça have the second best defence, having allowed just 72.2 points a game. Raül López leads the ACB in assists, Fran Vázquez is top in blocks, and Kakiouzis has the best two-point scoring rate.

Kasun, only player missing for Barcelona: Winterthur FC Barcelona’s Croatian centre is an important absentee, although the team has been managing very well without him. Out with a leg injury, this has very much limited the Montenegrin coach’s options for rotating his players, but the former Orlando Magic star has been covered to perfection by the in-form trio of Vázquez, Trias and Marconato. These three have all been blocking with outstanding regularity, with Galician Vázquez leading the ACB with almost three a game.

A separate mention has to be given to the versatile Jordi Trias. While Vázquez is a vast improvement on the irregular player he was at Girona, looking much more like the Malaga player who was once the number 11 pick in the NBA draft, Trias is a terrific example of a player whose work rate and perseverance has made him a key figure in the plans of such a demanding coach as is Dusko Ivanovic. Named MVP of the Copa del Rey in Malaga, the Winterthur FC Barcelona number 8 has been amassing points, rebounds and assists with ease.

And then there is the professionalism of Denis Marconato. The former Benetton centre is enjoying some of the best form of his career since joining Barcelona and is now a major component of Ivanovic’s plans. He is the kind of player you would not expect to buckle under the pressure of a clásico, and his strength on the paint and from four metres has made him one of the most dominating centres on the European basketball scene.

Bullock-Felipe, Madrid’s main danger: Madrid are in their first season under Catalan coach Joan Plaza and until recently seemed unstoppable. Injuries to Varda, Raul López and Mumbrú have had a worse effect than could have been expected, and scoring duties have been passed on to two highly experienced players, North American guard Louis Bullock and centre Felipe Reyes. Reyes has averaged 12.3 points a game and is especially dangerous when it comes to offensive rebounds. Bullock, meanwhile, leads the scoring for Madrid with 16.7 on average in 25 minutes a game. But another main contributor, especially in assists, is former Utah Jazz man Raül López, with five a game.

Another major absentee in the Madrid squad is Bosnian Venson Hamilton, who has been out since the start of February with torn cruciate ligaments in his left knee. He is out for the rest of the season.

Third meeting: Winterthur FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet for the third time this season. They first met in ACB round ten, in a game won by the whites (90-73), their first win at home to Barça since 2001. The sides also met in the final of the Malaga Copa del Rey, and although Madrid were the clear favourites, Barça defended beautifully, holding Madrid to just 53 points to take the game and the title.