The blaugranas play the first semi-final of the Super Cup against Parlem Calafell at 12:00 p.m.
Hosted by Reus Deportiu and Deportivo Liceo, they will fight at 4:00 p.m. for the second ticket to the final.
The much-feared economic cuts have fully affected a blaugrana roller hockey which saw Hélder Nunes leave at the end of last season and in which Joao Rodrigues and Pau Bargalló are in danger for next summer, who could handle a dizzying offer from the new ‘mecca’ of this sport, Portugal.
In this situation and with the Argentine Matías Pascual still out of action due to a fractured tibia and fibula that suffered in the World Cup in a recovery that was quite complicated, Barça has just given up the Catalan League to Noia Freixenet after allowing themselves to come back from 2-0 in the last 11 minutes (2-3) and hopes to put an end to the doubts revalidating the title of champion of the Spanish Super Cup.
An added problem for the Barça hosts will be the absence of goalkeeper Sergio Fernández, suspended for four games in RFEF competitions (it would not be in a hypothetical final nor in the first two or three days of the OK Liga). Therefore, the goal will be for Carles Grau and the young goalkeeper of the subsidiary Adrián Galán will dress.
The Pavelló Olímpic in Reus hosts the tournament that traditionally opens the course at the Spanish level and the current champion Barça (it is also the OK League and the Copa del Rey) the first semi-final is played this Saturday at 12:00 p.m. against Parlem Calafellwinner of the Catalan League in 2022 (the Blaugranas did not compete in it as it coincided with the World Cup and they hardly had any players) and third in the regular phase of the last OK League.
At 4:00 p.m. they will meet in the second semifinal the host Reus Deportiu Virginias (fourth in the last league tournament) and the Lyceum Sports, current league runner-up. The Super Cup final will be played by the winners on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Edu Castro does not trust Parlem Calafell at all
| JAVI FERRANDIZ
“We hope to gain access to the final and for it to be more satisfactory than last week in the Catalan League, but for that we must first overcome a very tough rival like Calafell, which has been reinforced very well with experienced players and also with one of ours on loan (Joan Pascual)”, explained Edu Castro.
“For us there is only the first day. It’s a cliché but it’s reality. We have to play the best game possible, be ourselves and play a happy and attractive game that helps us achieve victory,” added the Barcelona coach.
For its part, Carles Grau confidently faces the challenge of being the only goalkeeper of the first team in the Super Cup and warns of the team’s desire to win this title. “After not winning the final of the Catalan League, we are looking forward to winning and being able to be in a new final. We expect a closed team that will want to have their chance on the counterattack. It will be key to get ahead to open them up more and we foresee a very complicated semifinal against a team who has been doing things very well for years,” said the former Deportivo Liceo player.