Barcelona will have the highest ambitions in the new EuroLeague season that’s just around the corner. That’s never been a secret, but many things remain uncertain.
Restart, a word that the top executives of the Catalan giants have used too many times in the last decade. When it comes to Europe’s elite competition, the basketball public of the Old Continent had reason to believe that they had finally put the pieces together in Blaugrana.
The moment of truth arrived when it was most needed to prove it. Do you know what happened then? Collapse. Both on the court and in the locker room, and one could argue, in the boardroom as well. In the end, they found an alibi for their actions, with the massive contract of Nikola Mirotic serving as the central figure of the entire story. Was that the only issue? Well, we’ll know in a few months.
Restart – For how many times now?
When Barcelona signed Nikola Mirotic in 2019 and subsequently brought in Sarunas Jasikevicius a year later, there was no doubt about their ambitions. The Lithuanian coach had three seasons to bring the EuroLeague trophy to Blaugrana’s showcase, but he failed. Two losses to Real Madrid in the semifinals and a lost final against Anadolu Efes meant that it was time for the Catalans to hit the restart button. Not even the routinely clinched Endesa league title saved Jasikevicius, nor Mirotić, from whom Barcelona decided to part ways in terms of his contract.
Somewhat surprisingly, Barcelona chose Roger Grimau as the new head coach. A club legend and former captain, Grimau lacks significant experience in this role, but the players have welcomed the change positively. Although a complete roster overhaul was expected, it didn’t materialize. Aside from Mirotic, none of the starters from last season have departed. Nicolas Laprovittola, Tomas Satoransky, Nikola Kalinic, and Jan Vesely stayed, as do Alex Abrines, Rokas Jokubaitis and Oscar da Silva.
In terms of reinforcements, Willy Hernangomez is expected to step into “Mirotic’s shoes”, and there’s also Jabari Parker, who will have his first European experience after facing several injury issues over the past years. Spanish national team players Dario Brizuela and Joel Parra will expand the rotation, while young James Nnaji might also find some minutes. Analysts surely won’t place Barcelona among the top favorites as in previous years, even though their quality has not diminished. On the contrary…
EuroLeague Preview – Barcelona: Roster for the upcoming season
Dario Brizuela /188cm/ – SPA
Nicolas Laprovittola /190cm/ – ARG
Rokas Jokubaitis /193cm/ – LIT
Alex Abrines /198cm/ – SPA
Michael Caicedo /199cm/ – SPA
Jabari Parker /201cm/ – USA
Oriol Pauli /201cm/ – SPA
Tomas Satoransky /201cm/ – CZE
Nikola Kalinic /202cm/ – SRB
Sergi Martinez /202cm/ – SPA
Joel Parra /202cm/ – SPA
Oscar Da Silva /205cm/ – GER
Willy Hernangomez /211cm/ – SPA
James Nnaji /212cm/ – NIG
Jan Vesely /213cm/ – CZE
Odlasci: Kyle Kuric, Sertac Sanli, Mike Tobey, Nikola Mirotic, Cory Higgins
Dolasci: Dario Brizuela, Jabari Parker, Willy Hernangomez, Joel Parra
As we’ve already mentioned above, Barcelona made a coaching change over the summer. Sarunas Jasikevicius left Blaugrana, and he was replaced by another former Barcelona player and club legend, Roger Grimau. This represents the biggest challenge of Grimau’s coaching career so far.
EuroLeague – Barcelona: Greatest Success in the EuroLeague
Even though they are considered one of the basketball giants of Europe, when it comes to the EuroLeague, Barcelona cannot boast significant numbers. It might sound surprising at first, but the Catalan team has only lifted the EuroLeague trophy twice in its history.
The first time was in the 2002/2003 season when Dejan Bodiroga led them to their first elite competition trophy, being the top scorer and the MVP of the Final Four. At that time, Sarunas Jasikevicius played the role of point guard, with the team also featuring Gregor Fucka and the notably worthy Juan Carlos Navarro. In the final, they defeated Italian Benetton by 76:65.
The second time they conquered Europe was in the 2009/2010 season, registering only one loss throughout the entire EuroLeague campaign. They were defeated by Partizan in Belgrade in a historic match where both Dusko Vujosevic and Luigi Lamonica, while reviewing a contentious play, highlighted that it was the game of their careers. Later, Barcelona defeated Olympiacos by 86:68 to clinch their second European title.
Few words about the head coach – Roger Grimau
If Willy Hernangomez “stepped into the shoes” of Nikola Mirotic, we can use the same phrase for what Roger Grimau did by taking over the reins at the helm of Barcelona.
“I see that the chemistry is excellent, which will help all of us. Grimau is a different type than Jasikevicius. The change from the previous seasons is strange. From Sarunas, who shouts a lot, to Roger, it’s a transition I enjoy,” said Alex Abrines about him.
Tomas Satoransky followed up with a similar sentiment:
“At this moment, I am very comfortable with the new coaches; we are getting to know each other slowly. We’re waiting for a few more players to join, and then we’ll start with the important matches. So far, I can only say positive things about him. I like his perspective on basketball and what he allows us on the court.”
Roger Grimau began his coaching career in 2016. From that moment until taking over Barcelona, he led a lower-tier club, JAC Sants. We must emphasize that Grimau was part of the team that won the club’s second EuroLeague title in its history.
EuroLeague Preview – Barcelona: Expectations
Expectations are at their peak, there’s no denying it. And they always have been. However, several questions arise for the upcoming season. How will the newcomers, expected to be key players, fit in? Can Roger Grimau handle the pressure of coaching in such a prominent club?
It’s unnecessary to question the knowledge of the game possessed by any Spanish coach or player. What might initially seem positive is the change in the locker room. Several players did not express fondness for the working methods of coach Jasikevicius. Will Grimau’s friendly approach be a relief for them, or will they lose further focus on the court?
Either way, we won’t question a top-eight finish in Europe and reaching the EuroLeague quarterfinals. When the time comes in the season where everyone is fighting for trophies, Barcelona will be compelled to show what they’re made of. Until then, they’ll have plenty of time to assign roles in the team and play the best basketball they can showcase. Or perhaps they won’t?