Barça said goodbye to the 2023 final four, the eleventh that it had played in 14 editions in Cologne, with a consolation third place achieved with a solvent victory over PSG (37-31). The blaugrana, with the freshest second units and involved in the duel, dismasted the French team with speed and one more point of motivation.
The positive note was the new record for goals in the history of the final four scored by Aleix Gómez, who sets the bar at 70 goals (in 10 games).
The sad face was the farewell to Ludo Fàbregas, and perhaps also that of Luka Cindric, who did not play for a minute.
The game that nobody wants to play, the one for the crumbs of the so-called European bronze in the Champions League, is more of an ordeal than an honor. With two depressed teams and spirits on the ground -the champion’s hit on penalties and the sixth failure for the French in the final four-, the least erratic and the one that put the most desire in took the consolation of third place.
It was the farewell match for Barça for Ludo Fàbregas, a blaugrana since 2018, when Barrufet and Pasqui from Montpellier signed him, recently proclaimed European champion. In these five years, Ludo has become a benchmark for the dressing room and the fans, a pillar of the team. He sets off on the Veszprém adventure.
With nothing at stake other than honor, Ortega came out with usual second units such as Frade, Richardson, Carlsbogard and Janc in the starting seven, giving Pérez de Vargas the goal. Mem -touched on the calf-, Petrus, Cindric or Fàbregas rested, while Langaro (not even a minute in F4) and Artur Parera (who could not be fired playing) were left off the list.
The speed and greater freshness of Janc, Wanne and Richardson, the fantasy of Makuc and the mobility of Frade led to a spectacular 8-0 run with which Barça went from 6-6 to dominate 14-6. A scoring scandal in five minutes of confusion for the French, totally dismasted by the dizzying blaugrana game. The duel was practically sentenced.
The game served Ortega to experience partners for the future, such as the offensive tandem led by Makuc-Valera, who appeared after 20 minutes (they had not played against Magdeburg). The man from Valles scored three goals, the first rising from 9 meters above the French defense, 20-13, much applauded by his teammates. Barça accelerated before the break to deliver a 3-0 lead that put the maximum income at 9 (22-13).
The blaugrana festival went further at the beginning of the second half with the 10 that Janc put with his fifth goal (28-18), the maximum income. Raúl González brought on Palicka to try to stop the bleeding of goals. Barça lowered the tension and PSG reduced the distance, without disturbing the victory.
On an individual level, Aleix Gómez, with his four goals, became the top scorer in the history of the final four with 70 goals, surpassing Kiril Lazarov and Mikkel Hansen (68, both in 14 games).
Barça: Pérez de Vargas, Janc (7), Richardson (5), N’Guessan (5), Carlsbogard (1), Frade (2), Wanne (5); Aleix Gómez (4, 1p), Makuc (3), Petrus, Fàbregas, Valera (3), Martí Soler (1).
PSG: Green, Balaguer (1), Matthew (4), Nenadic (1), Luke Karabatic (1), N’Tanzi (7), Grebille (2); Syprzak (6), Kristopans, Sole (3), Toft Hansen, Prandi (4), Keita (1), Palicka (ps).
Referees: Jorum and Kieven (Norway). No exclusions.
Partials: 3-3, 8-6, 14-6, 15-8, 17-12, 22-13 (rest); 26-17, 28-20, 30-23, 32-26, 34-28, 37-31.
Track: Lanxess Arena. About 19,000 spectators.
