Throughout its history, the Barça basketball player has had a ‘love-hate’ relationship with the finals of the European cup.
The first of them was played in 1984; the last, in 2010.
Numbers in hand, between European cup Y Euroleague (a competition that ‘was born’ in 2000), the Barça team has played, so far, seven finals of the maximum continental competition, with a poor balance of five defeats and two victories; although, since the change to the current competition was made, Barça signs a full of triumphs when it reaches the final.
That under the Euroleague nomenclature he has stayed a few times in the semifinals of the Final four, is another story.
But, looking at the glass ‘half full’, it should be noted that Barça have won the title in the last two finals they have played.
Here we leave you a review of the 7 Barça finals and, this time, we can tell you that the Catalans have saved the best for last:
1984 – Geneva
In his first European Cup final, the Barça I started as a clear favorite before a more inexperienced Bank of Rome. And the Catalans made the predictions good in the first half (42-32), but in the second half a name of unfortunate memory appeared for the Barcelona fans (and of which it was never known again): Larry wright, a scoring point guard, author of 27 points and a real torture for the Catalans in the last minutes of the game. The 31 points of Epi, too alone in attack.
In the end, 79-73 for the Italian team. Perhaps, having won that final, Barça would have 3-4 more titles on their record.
1990 – Zaragoza
Six years had to pass for the Barça returned to stand in a final of the European Cup.
The group directed by Aíto García-Reneses reached Saragossa again with the favorite band: he played at ‘home’ and the Jugoplastika (who had eliminated him the previous year in the semifinals) was no longer an unknown rival.
In ‘semis’ he easily got rid of the Aris from Thessaloniki (104-83), but in the final against the Croats (although at that time they were still Yugoslavs), after signing some good first minutes, they ended up losing again to the Kukoc, Radja, Perasovic, Savic and company (72-67).
1991 – Paris
Second consecutive final of Barça… and second stumble against Jugoplastika (now called Pop 84 Split).
Again, a brilliant semifinal: 101-67 against him Maccabi Tel-Aviv, but with an unexpected mishap: the Audie Norris shoulder injury, key player in the schemes of the Barcelona team.
In the final, the American center couldn’t move his arm and even threw a few shots with his left hand.
Still, those of Bozidar Maljkovic (signed from Jugoplastika, precisely to get the European Cup) were in the game and only lost by a tight 70-65.
1996 – Paris
Along with that of Geneva before him Bank of Rome in 1984, for being the first, without a doubt, the most painful final and the worst memory for Barça fans. And with the most cruel and unfair outcome.
Like five years before, the Barça He was returning to the French capital with the intention of winning his first European Cup.
In the semifinals, he eliminated a Real Madrid (76-66) with whom he had already seen faces in the group stage and started as a favorite in the grand final against Panathinaikos.
After finding themselves far behind on the scoreboard during the second half, the Barça team staged a spectacular comeback in the last minutes of the game, reaching a single point.
But if this final has gone down in history (black in the case of FC Barcelona) it is because of the controversial last play: with 67-66 on the scoreboard, Vranjkovic put an illegal stopper to the azulgrana Huntsman having already touched the ball on the board.
The referees did not see it and the Barça he lost his fourth final of the maximum continental competition.
1997 – Rome
And the following year, the fifth loss in five finals. In Italian lands, the Catalans defeated the ASVEL French (77-70) in the semifinals, but in the final against Olympiacos (73-58) they encountered a Greek team led by a David rivers sublime (that of Barça and the rival bases, it is worth studying) that did not give them any type of option to victory.
2003 – Barcelona
But on the sixth … Champions! After five lost finals, FC Barcelona finally won his first European Cup (in this case, already Euroleague).
It had to be in front of his audience (with a packed Palau Sant Jordi), with a truly luxurious squad (Bodiroga, Jasikevicius, Fucka, Navarrese, …) and a true teacher on the bench (Svetislav Pesic), but, finally, he got the long-awaited title.
In the semifinals he defeated CSKA of Moscow (76-71) and in the grand final he did the same against the Bennetton from Treviso (76-65) from Edney, Langdon, Garbajosa, Pittis and Nicola, with Messina on the bench.
Without a doubt, an F4 to remember.
2010 – Paris
Once the ‘curse’ of the finals was broken, Barça returned to repeat the title as soon as it returned to appear in a final. And put to break ‘gafes’, to the third it was, finally, the charm for Barça in Paris.
In the semifinals they gave a good account of their magnificent defense, beating the CSKA of Moscow by 64-54, but those of Xavi Pascual they had saved the best for the grand finale.
Before a Olympiacos formed from millions, with cracks like Teodosic, Kleiza, Childress or Schotsanitis, Barça played the best basketball that has been seen in many years.
The final was dominated by the FC Barcelona from the start of the match and the final 86-68 does not fully reflect the incredible Catalan superiority.
Juan Carlos Navarro It was choosen Mvp of the F4, but we must not forget the great level shown by Mickeal, Ricky Rubio, Lorbek, N’Dong, Fran Vázquez and company.
The second Euroleague could already shine in the showcases of the Barça.