FCBARCELONA.CAT

02.04.2010 18:03

Second Final Four in a row

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Regal Barça are in the Final Four for the second year running, something they last achieved in 1996 and 97, where coincidentally, the two series were also played Paris and Rome.

The French capital will host Barcelona’s eleventh Final Four appearance since the format was created in 1988. That means Barça have played in almost half of the 23 editions, though this is the first time in 13 years that they have made back to back finals.

Xavi Pascual’s side are looking to win the second title for the club, after they conquered the crown for the first time at the Palau Sant Jordi in 2003 against Benetton Treviso.
This time the stage will be the Omnisport in París-Bercy, an iconic venue in European sport, and where FC Barcelona have already played two finals.

From Kukoc to Vrankovic

The great Barça of the 1990, featuring Solozábal, Epi, Norris and company soundly defeated Maccabi in the 1991 semi final (101-67). But the legendary Jugoplastika Split, then called Pop 84, with such quality players as Kukoc, Perasovic and Savic, proved too much for FCB, as they had done a year earlier in Zaragoza.

In 1996, in Paris, Barça also made it into the grand final, but were beaten by Panathinaikòs (67-66) in that controversial game involving Vrankovic’s illegal block on Montero.

From Berlin to Paris

Last season, the team came third in Berlin. The first game started evenly, but CSKA’s Siskauskas proved providential and Barça had to make do with the bronze medal match, where they beat Greece’s Olympiakos, 95-79. But the consolation match was no real consolation for a Barça team that only aims for the very best.