Barcelona Falls to Monaco in EuroLeague Play-In, Eliminated from Playoffs

Barcelona’s EuroLeague 2025-26 campaign ended in disappointment as they fell 79-70 to Monaco in the decisive Play-In game on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Salle Gaston Médecin in Monaco. The loss eliminated the Catalan club from contention for the quarterfinals, marking another early exit in their recent European struggles.

The game began poorly for Barcelona, who trailed 26-14 after the first quarter. Monaco established an early lead through efficient shooting, hitting 10 of 13 two-point attempts in the opening period. Barcelona struggled to find rhythm offensively and failed to match Monaco’s defensive intensity, setting the tone for the remainder of the contest.

Barcelona’s head coach Xavi Pascual acknowledged the team’s difficulties, stating they needed “a step more in defense” to prevent Monaco from gaining an early advantage. However, the team was unable to implement this adjustment effectively, as Monaco continued to exploit Barcelona’s defensive lapses throughout the game.

Despite efforts to rally, including the introduction of Dario Brizuela to provide scoring support alongside Nikola Mirotic, Barcelona could not overcome the deficit. The team’s offensive output remained inconsistent and they were unable to generate the necessary stops to close the gap.

Pascual attempted to adjust his strategy by switching to a 2-3 zone defense, but the change proved ineffective and was quickly abandoned. Monaco’s balanced attack, featuring contributions from multiple players, proved too much for Barcelona to handle as they failed to contain the visitors’ offensive threats.

The loss continues a troubling trend for Barcelona against Monaco, with Pascual noting he had never failed to reach the elimination games in his 12 previous attempts as a coach – nine with Barcelona’s former roster and three with the current iteration. This defeat marks the first time Pascual has been unable to guide his team past this stage of the playoffs.

Barcelona’s elimination means they will not advance to the EuroLeague quarterfinals, ending their hopes of competing for the championship this season. The result underscores the challenges the club has faced in maintaining consistent success in Europe’s premier basketball competition in recent years.

The team will now shift focus to domestic competitions and begin preparations for the next EuroLeague campaign, aiming to address the issues that led to this early exit.

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