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Five years ago, in the run-up to another Spain-Argentina Olympian,

Fabricio Oberto

, a protagonist of the past, surrendered to the evidence from one of the stands of Carioca 1 in Rio de Janeiro. "They always beat us. If you give me a choice, I never want a crossing with Spain." A few hours later, the albiceleste again crashed against her recurring wall, same language, different accent, also on the field.

His golden age, ours, both marked by mutual confrontations. "Two good teams with a competitive tradition and a very healthy rivalry but at the same time very lively," announced

Sergio Scariolo

. For what could be and was not, especially for the Argentines. Because here at the Saitama Super Arena where this Thursday (2:00 p.m.) they will be seen again olympically, that non-triple of

Andrés Nocioni will

fly over

from the corner in the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup, a parable with millions of eyes fixed that could change everything what came next.

Since then,

Luis Scola

resists

in the Argentines, but up to four Spaniards,

the Gasol brothers, Sergio Rodríguez and Rudy Fernández

, who was the one who caught that rebound towards history. Many more from the World Cup final two years ago at Wukesong in Beijing. "We know them very well. It is a team that plays very aggressive, that puts a lot of pressure on defense, sets traps on you, and plays at a high rate in attack,"

Sergio Llull

analyzed this Wednesday

.

The reality speaks of millimeters, those that prevented the launch of Nocioni in its impact with the rim;

the numbers, cold, of an absolute dominance of the Spanish team.

Of the 28 historic clashes, 25 wins for Spain.

Since 1998, the balance is 18-1, with the only albiceleste smile of the 2010 World Cup in the fight for fifth place.

In official matches, 9-2.

Also in Rio, five years ago, Scariolo's team passed little trouble, again in the group stage, although that duel was over the abyss.

For Spain a defeat meant goodbye after their bad start - defeats against Croatia and Brazil - for Argentina a deadly cross with the USA Team, as it was.

Campazzo, Deck and Laprovittola

On the couch where they both sit today there are still unknowns to be solved. If Spain barely showed too much in the debut against Japan - a good defensive attitude, some disconnection, a huge

Ricky Rubio

and still little fluency in the second unit - Argentina left a trail of bad omens against

Luka Doncic

. Completely disarmed by the Slovenian genius, not even their usual competitiveness could expose: after the break they already fell by 30 points. They fought after each point, aware that with the new system -the two best third-parties advance-, the

basket-average

is fundamental. But, without ending their curse against Spain, it seems difficult for them to be in the quarterfinals.

Scariolo is aware of the adjustments the team needs and that they have been disrupted by the last minute

loss

of

Juancho Hernangómez

. "We are preparing with conscience and knowing that we still have to balance the performance of the players on the court. It is our challenge, to get an understanding of the roles and functions on the field better and better and of course to consolidate our defensive strength," he admitted in the previous.

It will be a duel of old acquaintances. The three former Madridistas

Campazzo, Deck and Laprovittola

- this Wednesday he signed for Barcelona - are the heart of the Oveja Hernández team together with the immortal Scola - "the flagship of this incredible generation of Argentine players," Scariolo praised him. his fifth Games as Pau and Rudy. "Campazzo, Deck and Scola are a bit of the trio to take into account the most, their most important players. They won a silver medal in the last World Cup and they will surely be hurt by having lost the first game the way they lost it. it is going to make it doubly dangerous, "Llull warned. A defeat would leave the Argentines practically eliminated. Spain, however, will play it yes or yes on Sunday against Doncic, the man of fashion.

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Know more

  • Sergio Llull

  • Pau Gasol

  • Luka doncic

  • Ricky Rubio

  • Basketball Olympics

  • Spain Olympics

  • sports

Tokyo GamesRudy Fernández: "It was fundamental for my career to ask for help"

Tokyo OlympicsRicky Rubio, Scariolo's anger and a two-speed Spain to start

Tokyo GamesThe dilemma (on and off the track) of Scariolo to replace the "irreplaceable" Juancho Hernangómez

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