By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
Barça and Monaco will play a key matchup tomorrow, coming after a tough defeat for the Blaugrana against Panathinaikos.
But the loss to the Greek side was not the main story of the night, as Xavi Pascual surprised everyone by suggesting he might not continue next season—a warning he reiterated today: “I repeat what I said, but it’s not that serious. The message is very simple: when the season ends, we’ll see where we are. To be at Barça, you have to earn it, and we’re here to win. At the end of the season, we’ll need to reflect, explain many things, talk, and see who will stay and who won’t—players and everyone. Barça is about winning.”
Despite his words, this high level of demand is nothing new for the coach from Gavà: “I had this mindset during the eight years I was here before. I always told you that when the season ended, we would stop and think about what’s best. This is a professional life, but it’s different here—it’s more than just professional. Being here is about winning, not settling for mediocrity. That’s the reflection we all need to make.”
Questioning his own continuity is also nothing new for Pascual: “I think about it every day. If one day I feel I can’t make the team win, I’ll step aside—especially at Barça. At Barça, life is about winning, not just going around Europe with average results. Either we’re close to winning, or it’s better not to go.”
Regarding AS Monaco, the coach from Gavà highlighted the strong potential of the team now led by Manuchar Markoishvili, a direct rival of Barça in the fight to secure a EuroLeague play-in spot. “They’re in good form despite their absences. It’s a very physical and athletic team with an impressive competitive character,” he said.
The Barça coach also confirmed the return of Juan Núñez after the injury that had kept him out since the start of the season and reassured fans about Brizuela’s condition: “Juan Núñez will travel for the first time after completing a full week of training. He’ll be part of the 12-man squad, which is great news. As for Darío Brizuela, he’s fine. Tests have ruled out any injury—it was just muscle fatigue. Everything is in order.”
Finally, the coach assessed what the team needs to secure a play-in spot. Barça must win at least one of their last two games to confirm a top-10 finish in the EuroLeague. “With 21 wins you can make the play-in, although it’s not a guarantee. With two more wins we’d definitely be in; for the playoffs you’d need 23, which I see as difficult. We have to adapt to this new situation, and that takes time. It’s important for everyone to return to their role and for us to find our path again in this new scenario.”