Kevin Punter, the ogre of Real Madrid: the WiZink fight… and the debut with Barça in the Clásico
There are many incentives in the first official match of the Spanish basketball in 2024-25. It’s a Real Madrid – Barcelona (6:30 p.m., Let’s go on Movistar+)with that everything is said. They could face each other fifteen times, but the first one is always important. And there are many names that invite us to continue the duel in the Murcia Sports Palace. Mario Hezonja, Juan Núñez, Edy Tavares, Jan Vesely… and a duel that in the past had everything. And not all positive. Kevin Punter, against Real Madrid and its captain Sergio Llull.
The American is the great addition of the summer at Barça. Plan B after not signing Hezonjabut a true continental star. Points, physique and a winning character. Madrid knows it very well, they had them in all colors when ‘KP’ led Partizan Belgrade. Especially, the already historic series of the Euroleague quarterfinals 2022-23 between the ‘whites’ and the Serbian ‘Grobari’. With Madrid’s comeback from 0-2 to 3-2 and an image that transcended, the WiZink Center brawl that ended with almost all the players expelled.
A revenge?
Punter He was more than a protagonist. He started to be at the beginning of the series when his final triple gave Partizan a 0-1 lead, and after being a torment in the second WiZink match, he lit the fuse. Sergio Llull, white captain, made a foul. He is ugly, but missing. And Punter responded by hooking up. There the battle broke out, and the ‘combo’ now Barça was one of the most active. The Euroleague He was punished with five games, the second most penalized only behind Yabusele’s five.
The end of the story is well known. Punter He returned to the series in the fifth of the WiZink, scoring 28 points and seven triples, but Madrid staged a legendary comeback. In which Llull, with whom he had started it all, gave a legendary plus. That white team ended up reigning in Europe with the captain’s Kaunas ‘tangerine’, and it became eternal.
He would never forget it americano. “Madrid was finished. Without the fight, without the sanction… Other things would happen,” Punter said during the last season. He did not return to that level, and ended up leaving Partizan. Barça signed him and he is, clearly, one of their bosses. And his reconquest It could mean leaving the team that came back two seasons ago in the lurch.
Although Madrid, captained by its “enemy” Llullis a tournament specialist. “We have a lot of desire and enthusiasm. We are in a good line of work. When you wear this shirt you know the responsibility that comes with it. It translates into trying to reach all the finals and trying to win them all. “They are the objectives of the season,” said the Spaniard before traveling to Murcia.
Madrid was finished
Although he Madridcaptained by his “enemy” Llull, is a tournament specialist. “We have a lot of desire and enthusiasm. We are in a good line of work. When you wear this shirt you know the responsibility that comes with it. It translates into trying to reach all the finals and trying to win them all. “They are the objectives of the season,” said the Spaniard before traveling to Murcia.
For a Morbid Classic. And full of hardness. “We want to win the Super Cup. And we will have to play a very complete game and match their toughness to have a chance of winning and playing in the final,” he said. the captain On the other side will be Punter, with a thirst for revenge and with the colors of the eternal rival.
