Between Barcelona and Efes, everything is a story of déjà vu. The remake of the Euroleague final, won in May by the Turks (86-81), once again gave rise to a gladiatorial fight, in a burning atmosphere. The Palau Blaugrana was white-hot, still bruised not to have been able to offer Pau Gasol, in May in Cologne, one of the only titles missing from its list.
So when the meeting turned in favor of the Catalans (82-77) on an improved basket from the young Rokas Jokubaitis (21 years old, 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 stray balls), in the final seconds, exactly as during the first leg of the regular season, in Istanbul (Barcelona victory 95-93 after extra time), the enclosure erupted.
The Barcelona – at which Nikola Mirotic (15 points), Kyle Kuric (8 points, 6 rebounds) and the former Efes Sertac Sanli (13 points, 7 rebounds) have put themselves in value – had resisted the final assaults of the ‘Efes (72-73, 38th on a 3-point shot from Shane Larkin -17 units-, 77-80 30 seconds from the gong on a basket from Vassilije Micic -18 points-, 2 and 6 points for the French Rodrigue Beaubois and Adrien Moerman). And the compatriot of the Lithuanian leader, coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, then left the room haranguing the socios, as giving them an appointment for a future final after this time victorious.
Third expulsion for Ataman against Barcelona
An echo, too, at the other turn of the match. The expulsion of Turkish coach Ergin Ataman after returning from the locker room. Barça had gained the upper hand (49-43, 23rd), when a contentious decision caused a heated discussion with the officials, resulting in two technical faults. Or an ejection for the coach, booed at his exit after dragging a long time on the boards. By the way, Ataman did not fail to shout in the faces of the fans: “I won the Cup! ”(“ I won the Champion’s Cup! ”).
On December 3 in Istanbul, during the first leg snatched by the Catalans, Ataman had already been expelled by the referees, just like … two years ago in Barcelona, on January 10, 2020, at the end of a new pitched battle, this time won by the Turks (86-82).
The success allows Barcelona to return to victory after two defeats, and to consolidate its first place in the Euroleague standings (16-4). The reverse of Istanbul (8th, 9-10), does the business of Villeurbanne (9th, 8-9), who still hopes to hang the wagon of the play-offs. But will play Friday in the den of CSKA Moscow.
.
