Nikola Mirotic shares his disappointment: 'The season has been a failure' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: IMAGO/CordonPress - Scanpix Credit IMAGO/CordonPress - Scanpix

FC Barcelona fell to Real Madrid in the EuroLeague semifinal, the Catalan club had to bow down to Los Blancos in the Spanish Liga Endesa finals as well.

Player of the Game EFF 41 Walter Tavares Points 25 Accuracy 9-11 Rebounds 13 Assists 1

Talking about the match, Barca's superstar Nikola Mirotic, who is often regarded as the best player in European basketball, was disappointed in the way the team's season ended.

"We are hurt and not very happy about the way we have finished the season. This team aimed for and could do much more, obviously, the objectives have not been achieved," Mirotic started the post-game press conference. "We have to congratulate Real Madrid on this title, they have been better, and they have shown it. And that is the reality. Now it's time to reflect."

"In many things, they have been better. Physically they have been better, dominated the rebounds, and felt much more comfortable than us," the Montenegrin forward explained. "Sincerely, the team in difficult situations responds. We usually reply. We have competed, but we have not been able to play a different game to beat Real Madrid here. They have been far superior."

Mirotic was the top scorer on the Barcelona team with 14 points, but the club's superstar missed both three-pointers and scored only two points in the final quarter, both coming from free throws.

"They defended very well, they knew some of our strong points, and they have taken them away from us," Mirotic talked about the match. "Now it is very difficult to talk about some details. The reality is that Real Madrid have won, and we go home with one title less. I have to be honest, I think the final [part of the] season has been a bit of a flop."

"We failed to win not because we didn't want to or didn't give everything, but because we are Barca. It is expected to win more titles," the superstar shared. "The last couple of months, for some reason, the team has been going down a bit, and when we had to be at our best, we haven't been."

Nikola Mirotic

Team:FC BarcelonaPosition:PF, SFAge:31Height:208 cmWeight:102 kgBirth place:Podgorica, MontenegroProfileNewsStatistics

Barcelona were comfortably the regular-season champions both in the EuroLeague and in Liga Endesa but failed to win both titles. Although the head coach of the team, Sarunas Jasikevicius, regarded the season as good, Mirotic did not share the same view.

"Being champion of the regular season is worth nothing. It is very beautiful, but the most important thing is to show up from March to June," Mirotic explained. "We have not managed to do that. We haven't been very good as a team, confidence-wise and physically. Sometimes you can't control certain injuries, that's what happens, but in general, we haven't been the team that was expected of us."

Asked whether the team struggles in the final stages of most tournaments due to players' mentality or lack of character, Mirotic pushed back heavily.

"Many teams lose here. I would never question the character of some players. Last year we were also in difficult situations, two titles were won, but this year it could not be. We cannot say that it was due to character, I do not share that opinion," the superstar stated.

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