Spain starts a challenging Eurobasket against Bulgaria

Spain starts a challenging Eurobasket against Bulgaria

MADRID, 31 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish men's basketball team starts Eurobasket 2022 this Thursday (13:30/4) against Bulgaria at the Tbilisi Arena, the first match of a group stage in which it will be important a priori to advance in a good position and a tournament to which Spain It arrives without gallons.

Sergio Scariolo, national coach since 2015, has a squad of young people with a mix of veterans, in a renewal that is more necessary than ever. Without the Gasols, Ibaka, Sergio Rodríguez, Ricky Rubio or a Mirotic who has already resigned from the last European Championship, Spain entrusts itself to the FIBA ​​'windows' team with some reinforcement.

With three golds, six silvers and four bronzes, Scariolo's team appeals to the legacy of a team that has built its record in the last decade, with nine podiums in the last 10 tournaments. The competitive gene, fueled by a summer of training in Spanish basketball with eight finals in eight tournaments, requires Spain to be a seasoned, focused and intense team for anyone.

The preparation phase has already shown that the current European bronze (2017) is missing important pieces, although it has also left a notable progression towards a Eurobasket that has been made to beg more than ever, postponed by the coronavirus pandemic last year. As if that were not enough, Alberto Abalde, injured since the end of last season, and Sergio Llull, the last and sensitive casualty, were left out of the list of 12 that Scariolo announced on Tuesday, where the last discards were Juan Núñez and Fran War.

Llull's absence leaves an important gap that Scariolo sought to cover with Alberto Díaz, possessor of an equally contagious energy. Captain Rudy Fernández assumes stripes, even more so without Real Madrid's 23, and on an individual level it will also be vital that Juancho and Willy Hernangómez and the nationalized Lorenzo Brown contribute.

In addition, Scariolo has a second unit with names that usually show their faces such as Jaime Fernández, Darío Brizuela and Sebas Saiz, while also rushing to get Usman Garuba in tune. The intense summer was a bit short for Spain and the group stage does not allow relaxation, although filming does.

Bulgaria to begin with is a good rival. Aleksander Vezenkov, ex Barça, is their star and they have won their last two games against Romania and Cyprus. All in all, Spain is the clear favorite, always taking care of the nerves of the debut and the need to start well, with no margin to be first in the group and have better crosses.

Four of the six teams will advance to the round of 16, with Spain, Turkey and Georgia, next opponents on Saturday, as favourites. Vezenkov led in those last two victories those of Rosen Barchowski, who has the nationalized American Dee Bost in the point guard position, last season at Galatasaray.

The last precedent between Spain and Bulgaria is from 2011, where the Spanish team won 96-59 in a preparation match for the European Championship. The previous appointment was in a friendly before the Olympic Games in Barcelona 92, with another victory (74-68).

SPAIN: Lorenzo Brown, López-Arostegui, Pradilla Juancho Hernangómez and Willy Hernangómez --possible starting five--, Alberto Díaz, Brizuela, Jaime Fernández, Rudy Fernández, Garuba, Parra, Sebas Saiz.

BULGARIA: Dee Bost, Alipiev, Kostov, Vezenkov y Stoilov --quinteto inicial--, Dimitrov, A. Ivanov, P. Ivanov, Karamfilov, Kostadinov, Marinov, Petkov.

--PAVILLION: Tbilisi Arena.

--TIME: 13:30/Four.