Sekulic's Barça, going for their first title

He Barça of Alexander Sekulic faces its first litmus test of this newly released 2026-27 season this afternoon (12:00 p.m./Esport3) with the dispute of the final of the 47th Catalan League basketball before iLERNA Lleida.

With the ACB Super Cup just around the corner (September 19-20 in Badalona), the Barça team will once again fight for the most prestigious Catalan title (it has 25, in addition to another 15 finals, in its record) after last year it was left out of the final of this tournament for the first time since 2007 and signed a disappointing blank season.

Sekulic’s team, who are looking for their first title of the season, made it to the final after defeating the current champion yesterday, Kid&Us Manresa77-90 and make good the victory achieved on the first day against the MoraBanc Andorra (84-88) to finish first in group 1.

Barça will face this match with the already known absences due to injury to the interior players Tosan Evbuomwan and Yoan Makoundouboth due to injury, and the doubt of Kevin Punter, who has not yet made his debut this season due to a ‘load control’, as reported by the Barça club.

Kevin Punter has not yet been able to debut in the 2026/27 seasonPere Puntí / Own

And, precisely, the absence of the American guard, a great offensive reference for the Blaugrana in recent seasons, has been made the most of by a couple of players who are still on the team from last year: Joel ParraBarça’s top scorer in this League (14 points per game) and Darío Brizuela, who is averaging 13 goals per game in Tarragona.

Basketball match of the Catalan Basketball League FC Barcelona Morabanc Andorra Parra — Joel Parra, Barça’s top scorer so far in the Catalan LeaguePere Puntí / Own

As for the new ones, every day players like Tyrese Martin (against Manresa he achieved a ‘double double’, with 10 points and 10 rebounds), Justin Robinson (17 points on Friday) or a Oliver Nkamhoua who always contributes on both sides of the court.

Furthermore, the enormous depth of the Barça squad allows Sekulic’s team, despite the ups and downs characteristic of this stage of the season, to maintain a high physical rhythm, both in defense and attack, and end up winning the matches both due to the talent of their own players and the tremendous wear and tear they subject their rivals to.

Basketball match of the Catalan Basketball League FC Barcelona Morabanc Andorra Josh. Nebo anley Umude Justin Robinson — Josh. Nebo, Stanley Umude, Tyrese Marin and Justin Robinson, four of Barça’s additions for the 2026/27 seasonPere Puntí / Own

A rival that, on this occasion, will be the surprising one (or perhaps, not so much) iLERNA Lleidaa team that won this tournament a couple of times more than two decades ago (2002 and 2003) and has not played in the final of the Catalan League since 2004. Curiously, as will happen on this occasion, the three consecutive finals were played against Barça.

But returning to the present, those of Gerard Finds They have entered the fight for the title after adding victories in their two group stage matches: 89-84 against the Asisa Joventut and 88-98 against the FIATC Girona.

These two victories have been based on the great contribution of the trident formed by the point guard Darius McGhee (18 points per game in the Lliga); the escort James Batemon (15.5) and the power forward Melvin Ejim, who averages 16.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in the tournament.

In addition, the Lleida team has several experienced players such as Oriol Paulí, Mark Hugues or John Shurna, who promise to put up a lot of fight and fight for the first official title of this 2026/27 season.