On Sunday, December 25, Facundo Campazzo made his debut in domestic competition with Red Star. However, its debut in the Euroleague will have to wait. The Argentine point guard was already with his teammates, but without entering the squad, in the duel against Olympiacos in Athens. Now it has been known that nor will he be able to debut in the maximum continental competition on Friday against Barçain a duel that undoubtedly would have had a special morbidity due to Facu’s past at Real Madrid.
Campazzo (31 years and 1.81 m) returned on Sunday, a month after his last game in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks, who cut him at the end of November. And more than two years after his last meeting in Europe. It was in the ABA, the Adriatic League, with his new team, a Red Star that forcefully beat Borac Mozzart (86-57). He gave very good feelings despite his inactivity: he played a little over 19 minutes and finished with a +14 on court and a PIR of 18: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2/5 in three-pointers.
A placid debut that will not be able to continue in the Euroleague, this Friday against Barcelona at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade (7:00 p.m., Dazn). The Serbian team has not obtained the authorization of the maximum continental competition. The economic commission of the tournament prohibited Red Star from registering new players and coaches on December 1 due to non-payment and the club’s refusal to provide information in this regard.
A problem that is still in force although it seems to be close to being solved, according to Nebojsa Covic, president of the Balkan team. “We did everything we could, we got the LOC from the player, but there are still some misunderstandings with the EuroLeague. We honor our obligations to Josh Adams, some in full, some in part through agreement. We will see if these misunderstandings are resolved in the coming days,” said the president, in words collected by Basket News, during the announcement of the new sponsorship deal with Meridian Beta. “All debts with the players have been settled. There is a small amount due, but it will be paid on Wednesday or Thursday”.
The albiceleste international signed with the Red Star for two seasons and 1.8 million euros and 2.5 million, both net, and an exit clause of 50,000 dollars. High figures for a legendary team in Europe, but whose economic potential was currently unknown. Many pointed to the Serbian government as the main financial provider of a club that also took over the Argentine Luca Vildoza.
“There was controversy over the money we spent on Campazzo, which was state money. We announced our budget inspection, but other clubs did not. (…). The figures related to Campazzo are significantly lower than those mentioned about other players from other clubs, for example”, continued Covic, who estimated the budget of the first team, including the two Argentine stars, at 9.5 million euros.