With a cool head and after a few weeks of forced digestion of the disappointments in the Euroleague and the final of the Endesa League, Juan Carlos Navarro came out to take stock of Barça's season. In an interview with Barça TV, the general manager of the basketball section and legend of the Blaugrana club made a self-criticism by calling the final stretch of the season for Sarunas Jasikevicius's men "bad" after a promising start, with the achievement of the Copa del King in February.
"The season has had everything. We had seven good months, but the way it has ended, we are sad about how we started. We were an example for everyone at the beginning of the competitions; we won the Cup, and the last stretch of the season has been bad ending like that," he said.
According to Navarro, the beginning of the debacle began in the European playoff tie against Bayern Munich after having been the best in the regular season (also in the ACB). "From that moment on, the team went down mentally and physically, losing confidence and strength. We didn't end up with a good feeling and we have to improve things for next year".
He confessed to having spoken with the Blaugrana coach about the decomposition of those last weeks of competition, although he gave him full confidence. "Saras is part of our project and he knows there are things he can improve and I'm sure he's already thinking about how to do it." Navarro wanted to distribute blame. "We all have to do self-criticism, not just the players. Also the coach and me."
Despite this, he praised Nikola Mirotic, who will continue to be the team's franchise player. "I am very happy with Mirotic because he has stepped up in important moments. We want him to be our leader. People are very happy with Mirotic," he stressed.
The former player from Sant Feliu de Llobregat admits that losing against Real Madrid in the final four, taking into account the dynamics in direct duels (five consecutive classics in his favour) "made it more painful". The positive aspect that he wanted to highlight is that the Blaugrana team has been in the final phase for two years in a row.
To further improve a team built on the heels of a checkbook, with one of the most competitive squads on the continent, Navarro promises exciting signings. "We will incorporate exciting players, we will make the changes that we believe from the technical direction because we have many players whose contracts are ending." Among them Brandon Davies, Rolands Smits and Nigel Hayes-Davis, from whom the entity has already said goodbye.
Waiting for another exit to materialize, among the new faces of the new course that will be announced soon are those of the Czech power forward Jan Vesely and the German forward Oscar da Silva. Also in the last few hours the name of Nikola Kalinic, from Red Star, has sounded strong.
