AS Monaco were unable to topple a fast-paced FC Barcelona in their latest EuroLeague game, with the Catalans beating the home side 98-84 at Gaston Médecin. Despite a strong comeback in the second quarter, the Roca Team struggled with the physicality of the Spanish side, who were led by a bruising 27-point performance from Dario Brizuela.
The game started with both teams eager to build on their early 2025 victories – Monaco had enjoyed a run of three successive victories until the fixture on Thursday 9th January, including a win against Alba Berlin in the EuroLeague.
Head Coach Vassilis Spanoulis had to make do without Alpha Diallo, still sidelined with injury, for the game but began with a strong starting five that featured Mike James, Nick Calathes, Jordan Loyd, Vitto Brown and Donatas Motiejunas.
Barcelona quickly established dominance, and a fast-paced first quarter saw them finish with a 25-17 lead. Monaco responded in the second quarter, fighting back with a 10-0 run to close the gap and finish the first half trailing by just four points: 45-41.
“We showed some great character in the second quarter,” Spanoulis said post-match. “But we just couldn’t keep it going. We need to be better at both ends of the court if we want to compete at this level.”
After the break, Monaco seemed to regain their momentum. Matthew Strazel and Mam Jaiteh sparked the team’s comeback. The Roca Team tied the game at 49-49 midway through the third quarter, but Barcelona’s efficient play and Brizuela’s hot hand quickly swung the momentum back in their favour.
“It’s tough,” said Monaco guard Mike James. “We fought hard, but we made too many mistakes and allowed them to get easy baskets.”
By the time the game entered the final quarter, Barcelona had opened up a 73-62 lead, and despite some late-game heroics from James, who scored a clutch three-pointer, Monaco were unable to claw back the deficit. Barcelona sealed the victory with a final 98-84 scoreline, led by Brizuela and the combined efforts of their well-rounded squad.
Monaco now face a quick turnaround, with their next EuroLeague match set for next Tuesday against Bayern Munich. They will also travel to Nanterre on Saturday for a Betclic Elite fixture.
“We’ll focus on getting better and not dwelling on this result,” said Spanoulis. “The season is long, and we’ll be ready for our next challenge.”
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Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball