Barcelona“And that mustache, Nico?” Benjamín Jiménez, Madrid-Barça’s main referee on Sunday, took advantage of a moment of relaxation during the classic to ask Nico Laprovittola about his change of look. “To change a little,” replied the Argentine base, more shy in dialogue than with the ball in his hands. Nikola Mirotic was a disappointment, however. He was ruled out of the game for months due to an Achilles tendon injury. “How long, right? Two years, right?” The Montenegrin player asked. “Exactly, two years, Niko,” the collegiate replied.
The two Nicos became the protagonists of a classic that they dominated with their talent. Laprovittola reached 19 points thanks to 9 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds, but the best was not his records but the feeling of dominating the pace of the game. “It was an important game for me. I tried to be as solid as possible. We are recovering people and it was an important victory. We have to show a lot of things to play these games, be focused. Things went well, luckily, and the team won, “he says. The Argentine completes with a very solid triplet of game directors with Nick Calathes and Rokas Jokubaitis. “We have three very good bases and there are a lot of games for everyone. In addition, we have a great coach, which is basic. You have to know where my feet are. I took a step forward in my way and things went well. “The coaching staff was very clear. I watched a lot of videos to see where we made mistakes and I try to do what I can for the team. “, sums up.
Mirotic, who had just passed the coronavirus, was only able to play for 24 minutes, but appeared in the decisive moments. The Montenegrin center-back finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds. A triple of his, in addition, certified the culer triumph in the track of the eternal rival. “I am very happy with the victory at the WiZink Center. The team did a good job,” said the player, who continues to make a difference and concentrate the anger of the Real Madrid fans.
The good times of Laprovittola and Mirotic are very hot in Madrid, where they have not yet suffered to play at Can Barça. “I’m happy with the victory, because winning here is always difficult. For the two Nicos, playing in Madrid is not easy and they were focused,” admits the Lithuanian coach.
Saras, impol·lut
The arrival of Jasikevicius on the Barça bench has reinvested the trend in the classics. Barça have won 8 of the 11 classics played under the Lithuanian coach. The statistic takes on dimension when compared to the previous four seasons, when the balance was 11-11. Jasikevicius does not know the defeat at the WiZink Center in Madrid as Barça coach. Five games, five wins.
At the end of the match, Real Madrid coach Pablo Laso did not fare well in the defeat of the white team, the first in 23 games, and faced Jasikevicius. The two coaches complained about a situation experienced during the first half, when Saras protested a play to the referees and the Basque demanded that they point out a technique. “Let me do my job and you do yours,” the Lithuanian told the Victorian. Jasikevicius continued to talk to the main referee. “I can take off my pants if I feel like it and you’ll have to decide, but Pablo has nothing to say,” Saras said. “What I don’t want is for you to face him,” replied Jimenez, who knew how to make peace in a time of maximum tension.
Real Madrid and their fans ended up very upset with the refereeing. “There are specific decisions that I obviously have to make and that are hard to come up with. Yes, there has been a one-off situation that has hurt us in the exchange of fouls and fouls that have not been whistled. I remember a counterattack in which they needed Hanga and they didn’t whistle anything. To me these are two free throws. The end has been seen by everyone. I have my opinion, which is very clear, but I want to see the video. The final situations were very clear, but the team must learn that it cannot play well for only four minutes. We weren’t good in the first half, and a good half is not enough when you play against Barça “, explained Laso.
