FCBARCELONA.CAT

05.03.2010 10:27

Real Madrid or Maccabi next

Sònia de Alba

Regal FC Barcelona will meet with Real Madrid or Maccabi Tel Aviv in the next stage of the Euroleague after both teams qualified from the Top 16 following the latest round of games.

Which side Xavi Pascual's team will take on will be decided after the last set of matches next week while who will qualify along with the Blaugrana from their own group must also be determined after they ensured their presence with a 58-85 triumph against Maroussi on Wednesday.

Play-Off

Barça will now meet a team from Group F and that means either Madrid or Maccabi after they both qualified with Los Merengues beating Efes Pilsen 75-77 and the Israeli outfit triumphing 97-82 against Montepashci Siena. In that game Maccabi made Euroleague history by scoring 43 points in the final quarter, beating Madrid's record of 41 points against Ovarense in 2000-01.

Now it must be decided if Real Madrid or Maccabi finish in first place when they meet each other next week in Vistalegre. Both sides are tied with three wins and two defeats each.

Travel plans

Pascual's Barça team will look to finish this phase with a win against Partisan and the players are not bothered about who they will play next in terms of quality. "If we consider the journey then I would say Madrid because it is nearer," Fran Vázquez admitted. "The games will be tough whoever we draw though, but we have to just keep playing like we have been up until now. We need to be at 100 per cent in defence and stay calm going forward."