Barcelona mixed their squad a lot in the previous Euroleague round as they easily defeated Besiktas at home with a 86:61 result. Hosts were complete favorites for this game and got the victory already after ten minutes leading by fourteen points. None of the twelve players Barcelona coach was using during the game didn’t play for more than twenty two minutes, trying to rest players as much as possible.
Besiktas simply has given up the Euroleague targets many weeks ago and are by far one of the worst teams in Top 16, having 0/11 record. Spaniards are also coming from a 89:81 victory over Zaragoza at home, without being particularly threatened during the match. In front of this game, coach Pascual says that the team takes this game seriously and that they want to mathematically secure the first position in the group. Asked for full commitment from his players, saying that otherwise they would run into big problems against Caja. Atmosphere in the club is great, as everybody knows that they will lose the first place in the group only by miracle. All the players are available for the coach, while he will probably rotate the squad as the game progresses, wanting to protect his key players in front of the end of the season.
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Caja Laboral is also coming from a victory at home against a Turkish side. They have won easily with twenty points difference against Fenerbahce 87:67 last week. Although not as bad as Besiktas, Fenerbahce has also given up on their Euroleague hopes weeks ago and it was easy for the Spaniards to take a victory that they have secured already before the halftime.
Thinking about the most important game this season for Caja Laboral, their players have lost away from home against Badalona 89:79 last weekend in ACB league. Still, they are safe at the second position having three victories more than third placed Barcelona, fact that allows them to be more relaxed before the end of the regular season in domestic league. Atmosphere is good in the team, while everyone has enough faith that they can beat Barcelona for the third time this season.
Of course Barcelona is favorite to win this game in case they take Caja Laboral seriously from the first till last minute. However, guests have showed twice this season that they can beat them, last time in this same court with two points difference. Home side isn’t such a strong favorite as the odds suggest having in mind that they are not playing fully motivated tonight.
Barcelona vs Caja Laboral is a post written by one of the authors on Betshoot. A sports betting website, that provides daily betting previews and a monthly tipsters competition.
