Abrines: France-Spain is like El Clasico

MADRID (EuroBasket 2015) - Alex (Alejandro) Abrines has inadvertently become responsible for the biggest doubt clouding the mind of Spain head coach Sergio Scariolo ahead of EuroBasket 2015, but it has nothing to do with his quality as a player.

The 22-year-old FC Barcelona Lassa swingman is suffering from plantar fasciitis which has kept him out of the national team's training sessions over the last few days and it prevented him from suiting up in Spain's first warm-up game this summer, a 67-64 win over Belgium on Tuesday night.

"It is a treacherous injury since you can feel better one day and be worse the next," Scariolo told EFE news agency earlier this week.

"I hope that Alex can continue with us but if the pain goes on like this, it is clear he will not be able to participate [at the EuroBasket]."

Abrines's injury will therefore be re-evaluated in the coming days and if the progress is not sufficient he could be forced to follow Dani Diez and Quino Colom, who were cut from the Spanish preliminary team on Sunday.

I am here with a lot of hope and desire to help show that the Spanish national team is one of the best in Europe. - Abrines

In the event however that the young guard/forward recovers, there can be little doubt that not only he will make Spain's final squad for EuroBasket 2015 but that also he will assume an important role on it.

"We have some absences [in Juan Carlos Navarro, Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio and Jose Calderon) and there are some new faces this summer, but I am convinced we have what it takes to, at the very least, qualify to the Olympics.

"The absences are very important but on the other hand there will be another four players taking the place of those who could not make it and each one of them will also be perfectly capable to make a valuable contribution.

"I believe that every player at this level has certain qualities, has a personal speciality let's say, and in this competitive environment everyone will give all they have with as much intensity as they have."

Abrines was by far the youngest player on the Spanish team last summer, when he made his senior debut at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

This circumstances are unlikely to be repeated next month as coach Scariolo has hinted that 21-year-old Willy Hernangomez as well as Guillem Vives, who is just 44 days older than Abrines, will be included in his final EuroBasket squad.

The MVP of the 2011 U18 European Championship will be called upon to occupy a singular intermediate role on the senior national team, between the veterans and the rookies.

It still remains to be seen whether I will be on the final 12-man team but it's true that among the young players I have a year's worth of extra experience. - Abrines

"The senior national team is so different to the youth teams as obviously the level is much higher and because you go from playing against players of your age group to playing against the best players within a range of 15 years more or less, as there are players from 36 to 22, like myself.

"This however also means that you learn more from your team-mates, the team is more diversified and has both experience and young energy and the level rises.

"We have the advantage that every veteran guy on this national team is such a good person so that each young player who arrives immediately feels welcome and gets all the support and help he needs.

"In my case, playing during the season at a big club like Barcelona also helps a lot, because it means that I don't have to make a huge leap when joining the national team in the summer."

Playing for a powerhouse like FC Barcelona Lassa also comes with several other perks, such as experiencing on the court one of the biggest clashes in club basketball - any game against Real Madrid, the world famous Clasico.

At first glance it might seem irrelevant in the context of EuroBasket 2015, but Abrines uses the eternal rivalry between the two Spanish giants as a reference point when asked whether he agreed with Pau Gasol, who anointed France as the favourites in September's huge event.

"France play at home but that is not a guarantee of success," Abrines said.

"We are an example of that because at the World Cup we fell in the Quarter-Finals to France, despite playing at home.

"During some time now the rivalry between France and Spain can be compared to that between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"And exactly like in the Clasico, one team can win one time and the other team can win the next, it is that close."

It sounds like Abrines is eager for Spain to meet France in the knock-out stages of the EuroBasket and exact a measure of revenge for that 2014 Quarter-Final in Madrid.

"Well, at least for those of us who were here last year there is a lingering sense of remorse," the young player admitted.

"I think the rivalry grew a lot after the [Quarter-Final of the] 2012 London Games.

"I didn't play that often against France in youth European championships and there was no rivalry there to speak about, but last year (at senior level) I noticed that it exists.

"It is very important, but also I would say it is a healthy and respectful rivalry."

In order for Abrines and Spain to get a shot at avenging France, Scariolo's team will have to negotiate their way through a highly-competitive Group B in Berlin.

"It is the most complicated group of all, there is no doubt, because there are five of us that are theoretically candidates for gold, or at least for a place on the podium," Abrines offered.

"Germany plays at home, Turkey as well in a certain sense because there will be lots of Turkish fans in Berlin, Italy could be the team that springs the surprise this year and Serbia are the World Cup silver medallists, I think that says it all.

"All these teams have pedigree, ambition and big players from the Euroleague and the NBA, so nobody can pick a favourite in this group.

"Anything can happen and although you can say there are three or four favourites it doesn't really matter because the only true verdict is the one that comes out on the court."

Go to eurobasket2015.org for complete coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA