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Euroleague: Tel Aviv edge Barça out of Euroleague

AXA FC Barcelona reached the Euroleague quarter finals, and failed to win the rubber match in Tel Aviv, meaning Maccabi Elite kept the Catalans out of the Final Four.

The 2007/08 Euroleague confirmed that FC Barcelona are still one of the best teams on the continent. They made it to the quarter finals, one step short of the Final Four, facing such mighty sides as CSKA Moscow, Montepaschi Siena, Partizan, Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, Maccabi and TAU along the way. FC Barcelona thus consolidated their place in the European elite.

A good start

The regular phase was a comfortable journey for Barça. They ended with a 9-5 record despite losing their opening game at Partizan, who proved to be one of the surprise packages of the tournament, and Barça were already assured a place in the next round with four games to spare.

Barça also challenged to win the group, in a three-way battle with Panathinaikos and Real Madrid. A one point loss to the Greeks at the Palau proved their undoing in game 11 (55-56) followed by defeat at Vistalegre to Real Madrid in the final game (82-79) meaning they eventually had to make do with third.

Barça lost five games during this stage. One of these was against Panathinaikos featuring Zeljko Obradovic and Sarunas Jasikevicius, one against Madrid away, one on the road at Partizan in Belgrade and another at Lottomatica in Rome, but the results improved as the competition progressed.

Excitement in Top 16

The Top 16 got off to a turbulent start with the sacking of Dusko Ivanovic just hours before the games got under way. But the players kept their minds on the job and got off to a winning start by two points against Unicaja (64-62), a result that would ultimately prove essential for qualification.

CSKA Moscow were next for Barça, the group favourites. The Russians had suffered surprise defeat in game one against Lottomatica Roma at the Sports Hall, but bounced back powerfully. Barça lost on their trip to Moscow, but new coach Xavi Pascual had CSKA in his grasp right up to the final period (72-55).

Half way through the Top 16, a Barça win against Lottomatica Roma saw them as good as seal qualification for the next round (86-57). It was an emotional day on which the club celebrated its 50 years in the Euroleague, and also signalled Rodrigo de la Fuente’s chance to reunite with the fans that he had entertained for almost a decade.

But they still weren’t 100% through, and a one point loss to Unicaja at the Martín Carpena (62-61) meant Barça still had not guaranteed their place in the last eight, but had a very good chance of doing so. Their basket average lead on Malaga was proving decisive.

The critical moment came in the second to last match, as AXA Barça lost in Rome 68-63, which had they won as expected would have sent them mathematically into the quarter finals.

It was back to the Palau and the mighty task of CSKA. If Barça could win they were through whatever happened in the other match, and with the Palau behind them they did what they had to do, and won the game (64-62).

Home court advantage the key

In Maccabi Tel Aviv, one of the big favourites, Barça were handed a difficult task in the quarters, and home court advantage was against them, after they had finished second in their group but the Israelis had topped their own.

At the Nokia Arena Barça came within a whisker of a shock road win that would have swung the balance back in their favour. The Israeli side lined up with men of the calibre of Nikola Vujcic, Will Bynum and Terence Morris, but Maccabi’s main man that day was an exceptional Yotam Halperim.

Ersan Ilyasova posted 21 points in a class individual display, and was the MVP of the game.

It remained tight to the end (57-57 after 30 minutes). Barça focussed on defence but Maccabi wanted to go forward and such speculation cost the visitors who went eight behind with four minutes on the clock. Barça closed some of the gap, but not all, and ended up going down 81-75.

At the Palau Blaugrana Barça were spurred on by yet another show of support from the fans, and with Gianluca Basile exceptional (31 points) and the whole team doing their bit, Xavi Pascual’s side fought their way through a tough match, and managed to stay on top throughout. Barça suffered a setback with injury to Ilyasova early on, but his colleagues were on form, and Barça levelled the series at one each.

Maccabi did not make it easy though, and two late Derrick Sharp three pointers almost silenced the Palau, but FC Barcelona held on to take the game into game three (83-74).

Barça and Maccabi were all set for a game that promised to be one of the most fascinating encounters of the year, a game worthy of being the European final.

Maccabi were playing on Israeli soil though, and they made that advantage count. The pavilion was packed and Barça had to make sure they didn’t flake under the pressure, while Maccabi were more motivated than ever. Barça tried to play it calm, and at several points seemed to have Tel Aviv against the ropes. Nevertheless it all ended 88-75 and once again Barça narrowly missed out on a trip to the Final Four.