FC Barcelona secured an 81-89 victory against Armani Milan in the EuroLeague, bouncing back just four days after conceding 113 points in a defeat against Joventut Badalona. Sekulic guided the Blaugrana squad to their fourth win in seven continental matches, led by Kevin Punter’s 17 points and Umoja Gibson’s MVP performance of 21 in index rating.

Barcelona takes early lead before Milan responds

Barcelona started the match with sharp perimeter shooting, establishing an early 7-14 lead after four minutes following two consecutive three-pointers from Parra. Armani Milan called an early timeout to steady his team. The Italian side slowly chipped away at the deficit, leveling the score at 21-21 in the final moments of the opening quarter before Parra added two more points to close the period ahead.

The Blaugrana maintained their intensity in the second quarter, aided by the playmaking of Robinson, who tallied eight assists before halftime. Barcelona controlled the offensive glass to sustain pressure, reaching the intermission with a 40-44 advantage following a late basket by Bolmaro.

Punter and Gibson seal the road victory

Punter ignited the offense in the third quarter after struggling early from beyond the arc, while RJ Cole tried to keep Armani Milan within striking distance. Barcelona stretched their lead to 14 points before a fierce run by the Lombardy club narrowed the gap. A clutch three-pointer from Gibson allowed the visitors to enter the final quarter ahead 64-71.

Armani Milan mounted another challenge behind accurate shooting from Burnell, who hit key three-pointers to restore suspense. However, Punter executed cleanly down the stretch, sealing the 81-89 verdict as the arena seats emptied during the closing moments of a game Barcelona controlled from start to finish.

Box score shows scoring distribution for both teams

The official box score outlines the scoring distribution for both teams:

• Armani Milan (81): Cole (9), Mathews (3), Hall (5), Peters (13), Wright (6) — starting five — Bolmaro (12), Burnell (15), Thompson (12), Guduric (2), and Booker (4).
• FC Barcelona (89): Robinson (10), Punter (17), Martin (14), Parra (12), Balcerowski (-) — starting five — Gibson (13), Umude (7), Minaya (1), Evbuomwan (-), Nebo (11), and Nkamhoua (4).
• Quarter breakdown: 21-23; 19-21; 24-27; 17-18.

Defensive anchor sets the tone inside

Beyond the perimeter scoring, Barcelona benefited from strong interior defense. Josh Nebo delivered a notable performance in the paint, winning his physical matchup against Wright, a player who had also been close to Barcelona during the summer.