CSKA Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg, the two great favorites, will face for the second time in history in the grand final of the VTB Leaguethe tournament created by Russia with the aim of combining the teams of the former Soviet Union that has been reduced to a national tournament (plus the 'comparsa' of Astana Kazajo) by the war conflict with Ukraine.
Xavi Pascual, the best coach in Barça's history Together with Svetislav Pesic and Aíto García Reneseshe left the club in 2016 after losing the league final against Madrid. The Catalan directed the next two seasons to the Panathinaikos and rested two years before betting on the ambitious project of the Zenit St. Petersburg.
From the hand of Gazprom, that Russian energy giant that has destroyed the Football League for its financial support to the San Petersburg club, Basketball was called to live a glorious era and even debuted in the Euroleague (2020-21) accessing rooms and forcing Barça to reach the fifth game.
However, in the next of the next one the Euroleague threw the three Russian teams for the aforementioned conflict in Ukrainian territory, Something I did not do with the MacCabi nor will he now with the Hapoel Tel Aviv Despite the situation in Gaza. That double rod has left Xavi Pascual without Europe and the situation will not vary the next course.
The Zenit achieved its only VTB League title in 2022 after overcoming CSKA Moscow 4-3 In a spectacular final after lifting a 1-3 and both teams will be measured again in a final seven games in which the Moscows will defend the scepter achieved last year against the Unics Kazan.
The team directed Zenit has cost a lot to assert his status as a first classified From the regular phase and has needed the seven games against the 'Loko', the team that left Bartzokas's orders left Barça without Final Four in 2016.
Xavi Pascual recruited back to Russia to Alexei Shved for the serious injury of one of the team's referents, the American Xavier Moon. His other referents are Americans Alex Poythress, Trent Frazier, Dwayne Bacon, Okaro White and veteran Vince Hunter, in addition to the 'Russian' dog dog Georgi Zhbanov.
The Zenit went to the rest with an advantage in the seventh game of a very matched series thanks to a great play from the Pascual Pizarra that culminated Bacon with a triple on the horn (38-37). With nine points of Bacon and six from Frazier, The third quarter (25-15) sentenced a duel that ended with a clear 94-75.
With Peñarroya very close to meeting the year that remains, the option of Barça is complicated again for Xavi Pascual. Gavà will fight for his second ligure scepter in Russia against the CSKA of the Gauls M'Baye, Livio and Jekiri plus Americans Ware and Trimble. The first game, next Tuesday in St. Petersburg.
