Joel Para faces his third season with Barça in roles every year this summer, when he was selected as one of three team captains. Eves, 25, speaks to us about his evolution as a player, his disappointment at Eurobasket and his confidence in the Barca team’s options to win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nif9oi7t0ac

First of all, how about the first few weeks of working with the team?

Well, I’m very pleased with the new addition. They’ve been over two weeks since we played Eurobasket. We all know each other. Things need to be hone this week. Although he was unable to play the finals at Lliga in Catalonia, he believes his team is growing. The new team is used to the European level. A lot of desire and enthusiasm for this new challenge and this new season.

What do you think about the new addition?

We have very experienced players. There are new people in this league. If injuries respect us, I think we have many combinations on a good team, track. It’s very positive for our game. Hopefully everything will be fine.

He named the injury, it’s hard to forget the ballast they had envisioned last year…

You can’t go to the level of a worse injury than last year. Let’s touch the wood. It’s been such a tough year, but everyone already knows what happened. We are clear that with so many games getting injured in such a long season, it is part of our sport and part of our lives. But hopefully they won’t be as long as they are.

“I can’t go to the level of wood touch worse than last year.”

Joel ParaBalsade Basket Player

Are these two templates of Barça that he played deeper, higher quality templates?

Too early, I think it’s a template with a lot of experience combined with very young players like Juani (Marcos), Juan (Núñez), myself and more. It’s a very balanced template. Young people must give the role of veterans during periods of energy, personality and complexity. It’s a very complete template and I’m very pleased with the team we have.

For the first time in 18 years, Barça was removed from the final of Catalonia’s Lariga. What happened to them that day?

After all, it’s pre-season. We face it with ambition, but it’s still a preseason game. We wanted to have that final, but I think we played a better game than us. We have to accept that. And a few more. I don’t want to start making excuses, but it was the first game of the season when we were 12 seniors.

Barca fans could hardly understand that the third season would continue without a title…

Barça is always obligated to win the title. We both have been here for three years and newcomers, and we recognize the importance of the title having been extremely complicated at the club level for the past two years. I think they have enough equipment and capabilities to fight for the title. I think it will be a good year for Barça if we take the right steps and achieve growth that we have in mind.

On an individual level, what should Joel Para expect this year? The idea is to play again through three.

The idea is to help four, not just go back to three. I’ve always said that, what I want is to help the team win in that position. As a player, you are a little selfish and ambitious, so he is to get back on track and play the maximum amount of time the player wants in any positional play.

“We have enough equipment and capabilities to compete for the title. I think it’s going to be a good year for Barca.”

Joel ParaBalsade Basket Player

Do you like something?

No, I feel good on both. Now I’m very adapted to two positions. Ultimately, what Joan (Penyaroya) asks me, what the team asks me, what I want is the team win. If one day I have to play five minutes, I will contribute in those five minutes and win the team. And if I have to play 20 on another day, I will play 20. We’ve come from a very bad year, but we have to note that the most important thing is the team and the players go.

He is currently one of three team captains. Is that a greater responsibility?

I am very pleased with the responsibility both the club and my colleagues have me and Joan (Penyaroya) become the third captain. But if you make more stones with a backpack, it will be worse than you’re good. Jaune had already said he wanted to see the captain on the track and become the leader of the track.

If a player took a step forward in terms of previous performances last season, it was you. What happened last summer? I would say you have changed a lot of things with personal reflection…

For me, not going to make a choice was a very hard stick. Everyone knows that I go to choice and protect my country is pride, I’ve been doing it a bit since I was 12 years old. It was a very hard stick and was on top of the Olympic Games. I came from a very complicated year and brought about a lot of changes, and now it’s been 18 years at John Benz and now living alone in Barcelona. Many changes that require an adaptation process. It wasn’t easy. I came from playing for minutes. I’m a very veteran team, with three positions with Nicola Carinick and a player with a lot of experience in the Euroleague. It was a complicated year, but we have to find positive things in the bad state. I’ve been stagnant and I’ve seen myself in the hands of nutritionists like Oriol Domeneci, who I think could. But the work was more specific that summer. It took me a month and a half or two months to work on me on my own physique. It worked very well.

“What most happened to this physical change and mental tips and habits is the ability to withstand very high rhythms for quite some time.”

Joel ParaBalsade Basket Player

In these first preseason games, it’s the players who see in more rhythms in a better way. He arrived very well from the Eurobasket, right?

This most translated physical change and mental tips and habits is the ability to withstand very high rhythms for quite some time. I can withstand 10 minutes to a very high bar without getting tired. That’s what makes me happy. My game is based heavily on energy and if I could go for a few more minutes to be 100% it would be good for the team and for me.

Do you think the era of selection is over? New coach, goodbye to the big cracks of the past…

I understand the unknowns and doubts of Spanish fans after the results this summer, but no one expects it. It was a very hard stick for the player. I never cried after the match, but after Greece he collapsed in the costume tunnel. For me, the choice was very important and made sure I didn’t meet the original purpose that was to go through the group stage. But as the days pass, I think we have a very exciting selection. Very young players have contributed and are eager to be there for many years. We do a lot of work. I know Rudy, Llull, Gasol, Ricky, Navarro and more are no longer there. I still have a rest this year. Working with Chas (Matthew, new coach) get ready as three very exciting years will come to Madrid at the World Cup, Games and Euro Basket. We recognize that we don’t have the talent of the previous year, and the only way to make up for it is to be based on work.

We already have the Euroleague here. After not playing the ACB Super Cup and leaving the final of Lliga, which started the Ender League later this year, you’re not missing out on a competitive shoot for Barca in its Euroleague premiere?

This Friday we will be playing our fifth preseason game. I think it’s more than enough to face the week we first request.

What do you think this Euroleague has been expanded to 20 teams?

It’s very beautiful and very ambitious for fans, but I don’t think the players are much thought of. There are more games, but I think they show a bit of a similarity, like the NBA. There’s another game in 48 hours so if you already lie a little, you’ll lie a little more than a regular league match. I think the essence of that Euroleague is lost a bit in life or death in 10 matches at the highest level.

“The EuroLeague has been expanded to 20 teams, which is very beautiful for the fans, but I don’t think they have much thought about the players.”

Joel ParaBalsade Basket Player

An extension that specifically punishes the league’s much stronger ACB teams…

Yesterday, we received a ranking that confirmed that the ACB League is the strongest in Europe. We are our people coming from here and for new people it’s very important for them to learn it and from day one, Joan has made it very clear that it’s very important for this club. This week we visited two games, Hapoel and Panathinaikos, and visited Valencia for the premiere of Roig Arena. You need to know that Barça must compete with two competitions to the fullest extent.

Does Barca have the ability to compete for this Euroleague?

Yes, I think so. Beyond what outsiders say, we believe we are a team that is passionate about making a statement. The noise we have to hear is in the locker room and we are all 14 players and staff. You don’t need to hear another noise.

They start from the unusual courthouse (Sofia) and in their debutant, Hapoel Tel Aviv. That’s a strange start, isn’t it?

It’s a little strange. They’ve been strengthened very well and signed Vasilje Micic as the great star of the team. That would be a different scenario, I don’t know if there are any public. It’s an important game because we want to start winning. Our ambitions must be the first in two competitions.

“Euroleague Israeli team? Eise is the topic for those organizing it, and players are obligatory.”

Joel ParaBalsade Basket Player

Looking at what’s going on in Gaza, do you think two Israeli teams can play the Euroleague?

Ultimately, it’s more of a topic for those organizing the Euroleague, and in the end we are players, we are obligated.

Meanwhile, there is a lot of talk about the future landing of the NBA in Europe to create the Euroleague. How do players see it? Will they talk about it?

Something has been commented on, but the player knows nothing. It’s about talking about talking, but there’s no information. Again, it is mandatory. This year we have 20 teams and what we touch on is getting better prepared to compete in these games.

Finally, if the two competitions coexist in the end, should we play Barca, the competition the Euroleague and the NBA believe in?

That’s the office problem. What will the NBA format look like? Do we play the US before going out to play here? I don’t know. I’ve said that many times: The appeal of the Euroleague seems spectacular to me. It’s incredible for fans. My friend, who also loves basketball, sits on the couch on a Tuesday afternoon and watches Panatinaikos Barça. Wednesday, another Friday on Thursday, another Friday, Saturday, and ACB on Sunday are other things for fans and players.