Barcelona secured their place in the EuroLeague Play-In with a commanding 95-69 victory over Bayern Munich on Friday night at the Palau Blaugrana. The win, which came in the final game of the regular season, confirmed the Catalan giants’ ninth-place finish and set up a Tuesday showdown with tenth-placed Red Star Belgrade.
Xavi Pascual, the Barça head coach, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance but remained focused on the imminent challenge. “Tras la contundente victoria por 95-69 ante el Bayern que certifica la clasificación del Barça para el Play-In de la Euroliga, el entrenador Xavi Pascual se mostró satisfecho con el rendimiento de su equipo, pero también prudente de cara al próximo desafío contra Estrella Roja,” reported Mundo Deportivo.
The victory was built on a strong collective effort, with Pascual highlighting the importance of preparation and execution. “Pascual felicitó a sus jugadores por el ‘gran partido, bien preparado y ejecutado’, destacando que, a pesar de una ‘no buena segunda vuelta’, el noveno puesto y el acceso al Play-In son merecidos. ‘Merecíamos estar en play-in’, afirmó el técnico.”
A key storyline from the game was the return of Tomas Satoransky, whose absence had been felt earlier in the season. Pascual emphasized the Czech guard’s role in restoring balance to the squad. “El retorno de Tomas Satoransky fue otro de los puntos clave en la valoración de Pascual. El entrenador no ocultó la importancia del base checo: ‘Tomas es un jugador extremadamente importante para nosotros, para mantener equilibrio ofensivo y defensivo. Lo echamos mucho de menos’. Explicó que la ausencia de Satoransky provocó un ‘bloqueo’ en el equipo que venía ‘creciendo progresivamente’, y que con su regreso se han mostrado ‘mejor, más sólidos’.”
Looking ahead to the Play-In clash, Pascual acknowledged the difficulty of the matchup against Red Star Belgrade, particularly praising their physicality and shooting prowess. “Mirando ya al enfrentamiento contra Estrella Roja, el técnico azulgrana advirtió de la dificultad: ‘La eliminatoria es muy dura y complicada. Les hemos ganado dos veces pero con partidos trabados’. Subrayó la fortaleza física del conjunto serbio, considerándolo ‘uno de los mejores equipos de la competición’ en ese aspecto, además de resaltar su talento y capacidad de tiro, poniendo como ejemplo su actuación contra Asvel, donde ‘los destrozan desde la línea de tres puntos’.”
The first leg of the Play-In series will take place at the Palau Blaugrana on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 20:45 CEST. Should Barcelona advance, they would face the loser of the Panathinaikos-Monaco matchup, scheduled for Friday, April 24.
Despite the regular season ending in ninth place — their lowest finish since the 2019-20 campaign — Barcelona avoided an early exit and kept their EuroLeague hopes alive. The win over Bayern also marked Pascual’s 21st victory of the season in the competition.
Before turning full attention to Europe, Pascual reminded his squad of the immediate domestic obligation: a league game against Hiopos Lleida. “Antes de pensar en Europa, Pascual recalcó la importancia de centrarse en el próximo compromiso liguero contra Hiopos Lleida, esperando que no haya contratiempos antes del crucial partido del martes.”
The atmosphere at the Palau was noted as a contributing factor, with strong home support playing a role in the team’s performance. “Y apoyados por un gran Palau, Pascual y sus jugadores lograron el 21º triunfo del curso en Euroliga que les permite clasificarse para el Play-In,” reported Sport.es.
Barcelona’s path to the Play-In was secured through their own results, as they depended solely on their performance in the final regular-season game to avoid elimination. Their ninth-place finish, while below pre-season expectations, was deemed deserved by Pascual given the team’s progression over the course of the season.
With the Play-In berth now confirmed, the focus shifts entirely to the Tuesday night encounter with Red Star Belgrade. A victory would keep Barcelona’s EuroLeague campaign alive and potentially set up a quarterfinal clash with either Olympiacos or Fenerbahçe, depending on other results.
For now, the immediate priority is delivering a strong performance at home against a physically imposing Red Star side known for its three-point shooting and defensive toughness. As Pascual warned, the series will not be easy — but Barcelona has earned the chance to fight for it.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of Barcelona’s EuroLeague Play-In matchup against Red Star Belgrade, including previews, live updates, and post-game analysis.
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