Barcelona members criticize refereeing in the Copa del Rey final / News - Basketnews.com

FC Barcelona team members criticized refereeing in the Copa del Rey final, which ended with a Real Madrid victory of 96-85 over Barcelona.

Credit: Barca Basket Credit Barca Basket

The European cup season continues to witness drama as FC Barcelona members criticized the officiating performance in the Copa del Rey final that went Real Madrid's way.

Alejandro Abrines

MIN:10.51PTS:4 (50%)REB:1.33As:0.33ST:0BL:0TO:1.33GM:3ProfileCopa del Rey2023/2024

Defeated 96-85 by the royalty team, coach Roger Grimau and players Nicolas Laprovittola and Alex Abrines spoke out against the referees.

"We have been punished excessively at certain times," said Grimau right after the game. "In three minutes, they expel one of our best players [Jan Vesely]... I don't know if the criteria are the same [for the fouls]. There are players on the other team who play 34 minutes and make three fouls," continued the Spanish coach.

In the post-game conference, Grimau reiterated his points and underlined them.

"In three minutes, they send off a great player, and that cannot be. Maybe when the video is seen, they will tell me this or something else, but the truth is that another [Real Madrid] player in 34 minutes has committed three fouls," Grimau said in criticism of what he perceived to be double standards.

"It is also impossible to understand that Willy [Hernangomez] is given a technical foul and told 'This is not the NBA, kid,'" the Spanish coach revealed an incident that his player was in the midst of.

Nicolas Laprovittola lent support to his coach's views.

"Towards the end of the game? [No], throughout the game," said the Argentinan guard, claiming that officiating was weak in the entirety of the final. "I think I'm not one to say certain things or criticize, but I think the refereeing was not good," he concluded.

Team captain Alex Abines had a more moderate approach when compared to Grimau and Laprovittola, but he still believed that some calls were questionable.

"I don't think we lost because of the referees," Abrines stated. "In the end, offensive rebounding is our thing.But it is true that in a couple of actions in which we were making a comeback, they cut us off, and the criteria [have] not [been] the same," noted the Spanish sharpshooter.

In the last 5 games of El Classico across all tournaments, Real Madrid have a 4-1 edge over Barcelona.

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