Baskonia justifies Galbiati's departure due to attitude towards Barcelona

Velimir Perasovic was introduced as the new coach of Baskonia after leading two away games. The Croatian coach returns to the Vitoria bench for his fourth stint, although he claims not to have received the official proposal until last week. However, it is documented that he was contacted in late May as an alternative due to a possible departure of Galbiati. The dismissal of the Italian coach in early October generated surprise among the Baskonia fans and confusion within European basketball circles.

The Origin of the Break with Barcelona

The deterioration of the relationship between Galbiati and Baskonia began in July when the club was informed that the coach wanted to join Barcelona after receiving an offer from the blue-and-burgundy club. Meanwhile, Xevi Pujo, the technical secretary who had signed Galbiati for Vitoria, was also moving to Barcelona. Félix Fernández explained how the contacts evolved: "His desire coincides with the departure of the previous technical secretary who is going to Barcelona. Players going to Barça were on our list, potential signings that Pujol had on the table for Baskonia."

The sporting director detailed that the blue-and-burgundy club contacted Baskonia directly. "The relationship with Laporta is close and extraordinary. We didn't reach an agreement because we wanted Galbiati. Barça doesn’t insist any further because they don’t want to create a conflict with us and opts for another path," Fernández emphasized. This version of events positions the Vitoria club firmly regarding the blue-and-burgundy's interest in signing the Italian coach.

Direct Accusations Against the Dismissed Coach

Once the context of the departure from Barcelona was outlined, Félix Fernández launched direct criticism at Galbiati. "He wants to go to Barcelona and change the terms of his contract; that attitude is not the most suitable with a club that has given you the opportunity to coach at a high level," the sporting director stated. This main reproach summarizes Baskonia's stance regarding what they consider inappropriate behavior from the coach.

Fernández delved into the details of the internal negotiations that preceded the dismissal. "Galbiati and his agent led us in the summer to a situation where they wanted to extend the contract for two or three years and improve their economic conditions. We told him that we had time for that," he explained. The sporting director also accused the Italian of a lack of activity: "We detected a non-active situation from Paolo, a series of actions with the technical secretary and players that are not very active."

Disagreements Over Key Players

According to Fernández, significant discrepancies arose regarding the composition of the roster. "We started the season; there are important players he does not want in the project who are part of the club's identity, like Sedekerskis. We explained to him that these players are extremely important for the project and their history in the club, and they are beloved by the fans. We face this with two or three other players," he detailed. The sporting director did not specify the names of these other footballers, although it is known there was tension regarding Frisch, whom the club informed in mid-September of their intention to seek a loan for him.

Budgets and Defeatist Messages

Fernández also attributed to Galbiati the responsibility for conveying pessimistic messages about the club's financial limitations. "I can understand the budget situation and larger cities, more players, and one that has three million and wants to have six. Baskonia has always been built avoiding excuses; we always try to overcome potential financial problems. It’s our DNA because we are a city of 250,000 inhabitants," argued the sporting director.

The highest sporting authority was emphatic in evaluating the impact of these attitudes on the team project: "When you use a defeatist message, we cannot afford that. Either we all go in the same direction, or it's very complicated. We cannot allow that, even knowing our limitations, on October 10, we throw the EuroLeague overboard, but we have to innovate, find resources where there are none." Fernández concluded that "in this situation, we detect that we are not on the same page, and we let him go."

The sporting director also conveyed the message he wishes to send to the team after these changes: "The message we want to send to the players is that all competitions are important; the DNA of Baskonia is to compete; then you will win or lose." This statement reflects the club's intention to maintain a competitive mindset regardless of the available resources.

Signings Requested by Perasovic

Fernández acknowledged that he is currently working on the requests made by Perasovic to strengthen the roster. The new coach has requested two additions: "One will be a pure interior player, and the other the best player they can find in the market, regardless of their position." However, the sporting director warned about the obstacles the club faces in executing these operations.

The budgetary difficulties of Baskonia and the scarcity of players available in the current market present real limitations for completing these reinforcements. Nevertheless, the club remains committed to the new coach's requests, trying to find solutions within their economic possibilities. This search for balance between sporting ambitions and financial realities defines the current strategy of the Vitoria team under Perasovic's leadership.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Baskonia justifica salida de Galbiati por actitud hacia Barcelona