The new Barça de Mirotic y cía starts this Friday in Santiago (19.15 h.) its singladura in the Endesa League 2019-20. And it will do it with a very bad news: Kevin Pangos will be of four to six weeks of low. According to the medical part of the club, the Canadian base suffered during the last training an injury in the metatarsophalangeal joint of the first toe of the left foot.
To believe in witches is that the fall of Pangos leaves Malcolm Delaney as the only pure base to face this start of the season. Let's remember that the American game director was signed by the Barça last September 12 to cover the low, this one of long duration (5 months) of another of the bases of the equipment: Heurtel. Delaney has played two games with the team from Barcelona, corresponding to the last edition of the Supercup.
Today, the two game directors with whom the team closed last summer (Heurtel and Pangos) are out of action. Therefore, Pesic will have to pull in these first matches either from the quarry (Leo Bolmaro) or from the versatility of Hanga to help the management of the team. Another of the profiles that can add in this facet (Pau Ribas) is also low for this inaugural meeting. He missed the Supercup for muscular discomfort in one leg and everything points to his return could occur next week. It is discarded to sign.
Another proper name. Álex Abrines that was low in the Supercopa by technical decision could have occasion to play in the Endesa League three years later. Pesic will have for this match twelve senior players plus Bolmaro, who does not have to be discharged in the League to have a player record linked. In that scenario it will be Pesic who must decide shortly before the match in Santiago the player who discards.
Malcolm Delaney
The American base became the main protagonist this Thursday. The loss of Pangos gives him much more responsibility in his debut in the Endesa League. "I'm ready to play a lot of minutes. Throughout my career I have played many minutes and with great responsibility in many teams. I'm not afraid of a situation like this," said the Baltimore playmaker with conviction. Delaney says that "it will still take a few days to fully adapt to my new teammates, but I already know the systems of Pesic. I know what the team needs from me. I don't need much time. I have confidence in myself and deep down it's basketball.
Pierre Oriola
The pivot wing of Tárrega, for its part, also referred to the situation created after the injury of Pangos. "I think we have enough players to cover this loss. It's true that it's a noticeable drop again in the base position. We have Delaney, Hanga, at some point Higgins can do base and if we do not have Bolmaro. He did a very good preseason and is ready if the coach needs him.
The duel in Santiago will kick off a season that will be a real whirlwind. That's why Barça only has one more: to grow competing. "We are still in a process of adaptation of the new ones, of those that we have arrived from the World-wide one, to improve things. The road is still very long, there are nine months and has to go slowly. I believe that we arrived well to the first party although surely the image of the equipment will not be the expected one yet and there will be errors. It is, as I said before, a process of gradual adaptation. The Obradoiro? It is a track in which it is difficult to win against a team with many systems, in the style of your coach. But we are Barça".
Ante Tomic
The Azulgrana captain made it clear that "this year we have a very long and quite strong squad. We've changed a lot, there are five new players. And as always in these cases we need time to get to know each other and feel good about ourselves," said the Croatian power forward.
Expectations? "I repeat. It's just a matter of time. I don't like to make excuses but it's reality. The question is to improve. "These days we've been working especially hard on defence. Improve all aspects of the game to get the season off to a good start.
Moncho Fernandez
The technician of the Obradoiro Moncho Fernández, who will have the doubt of David Navarro, warned to the respect of the duel before the Barça that: "any loss of ball, any not forced error will suppose a problem in our hoop". The Barcelona has incorporated five players of first level and it is evident that it needs time for an optimal coupling. But in this regard, Moncho wanted to make a note. "Pesic says it's a Lamborghini without gasoline, but walking walks. They will need time, like everyone else, especially when you add so many new players, with an important role. The quality of the players is what it is. The speed of adapting people will depend on many factors. But he's one of the big favourites.