he FC Barcelona lost on Sunday at Court Unicaja in Malaga. (103-96) in a match that corresponded to the fifth day of the Endesa League.

Besides the results, one piece of information caught our attention. Willy Hernangomez was the only member of the Barça team who did not play a single minute for Martín Carpena.

It’s been less than two months since he played in a competitive game, but former NBA center manager Roger Grimaud seems to have gone through a gray period without controversy last season. The comments of the Madrid Center (who admitted its truth a few weeks ago) and his “Don’t eat my ears, there are two news programs left”) were already behind us, Will the “Willie incident” happen again to the Barça team?

When João Peñaloya was asked about Willy’s absence for the game against Malaga, the Barça manager simply said in the post-match press conference: “11 players played. In 48 hours we will be playing on the field of Efes. For 96 hours we played on the field of Olympiakos. We have to be ready for when we play. .”

Given these statements, is the controversy settled?

yes or no.

Even if the words are blown away by the wind Peñaloya’s remarks were ‘textbook’ (Politically correct, they helped rule out that Willie’s absence was due to physical discomfort), cold data doesn’t lie, and the truth is that the center doesn’t raise its head and His role in the season opener will be equal to or less than the role he played last season under Coach Grimaud.

In the Endesa League, he only played in 3 out of 5 games. Although he missed his debut match at home against Covilan Granada, the club felt there was some discomfort with Hernangomez and commented that he only joined the team after Brizuela withdrew at the last minute after suffering from a viral infection. .

In the latter case, Peñaloya’s words suggest that he did not play due to a purely technical decision.

Still, the reality is that when he played; Willie’s performance is nowhere near that of a great player with a star contract. And his status when Barça signed him from the NBA last summer.

In the three games played in domestic competitions, the international interior averaged He averages just under 6 points and 4 rebounds in just over 12 minutes on the court, giving him a statistical rating of 9 units.

And things don’t get any better in the Euroleague either.

Although he has appeared in all the games of the Barça team (5 games), his numbers are still unremarkable and far from what was expected in his second season as a Barça player.

After playing for just over 15 minutes, Hernangomez averaged 7 points and 3.4 rebounds with an average rating of 6.. Furthermore, the problem of free kicks has been highlighted in Europe. Pyros records a success rate of 38.5% (5/13).

Their last match was against Asbel Villeurbanne in Palau last Friday. At this time it is critical to what the 2024/25 academic year will look like: 14 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls. -1 rating.

Is it a matter of aptitude or attitude?

In almost all statements made to various media at the beginning of the course, Willie said he is very motivated for this season. And once his period of adaptation to European basketball is over; Fans of the Palau Blaugrana can finally enjoy the best version this year A center player who became the MVP of EuroBasket, which Spain won in the summer of 2022.

However, in reality, there continues to be a gap between his usual defensive ability and concentration on the pitch. Even during an attack, Continues to record excellent points per minute playedIndeed, it is difficult for him to contribute when Barça’s attackers are idle and spend the majority of possessions without touching the ball.

In its favor, at least for the general public, He always looked his best and was often seen smiling during games. Whether it’s on the field or on the bench. But yesterday he was already seen in Martin Carpena. A slightly crooked and agitated gesture.

The fact that this season is Barça’s inside game has many players.That’s because Fall’s role was bigger than Nnaji’s last season, Metu plays more as a “5” than a “4,” and his time on the court is very expensive.

This week, Two tough Euroleague matches (visits to the stadiums of Anadolu Efes and Olympiakos) will indicate the current situation of Barça “14” And is what happened yesterday in Malaga something special or do we have to leave? We’ve grown accustomed to seeing Willy (surprisingly?) play a secondary role in the Barcelona coach’s plans.Joao Peñaloya.

Contract with Barcelona club until summer 2026 (high salary)all parties involved (players, coaches, sports administrators) have an interest in not repeating what happened last season. You can see the best version of Willy Hernangomez in the Barça shirt.