Tomas Satoransky, Barça Basket: ‘The fans always wanted me to come back’

The Czech guard reflects on his second year back at Palau Blaugrana.

Less than a week after making his 100th appearance in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, FC Barcelona guard Tomas Satoransky is feeling good. The 32-year-old, who returned to Barca in the summer of 2022, is now Blaugrana’s second captain and he is determined to pay back the faith placed in him by the club’s supporters.

The arrival of Roger Grimau as Barca’s head coach this summer saw Satoransky given a bigger leadership role, something the Czech Republic international is greatly enjoying. Having now played 101 EuroLeague games, all with Barca, Satoransky’s 7.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists have helped the Blaugrana go 7-2 through the first nine games and a perfect 5-0 at home.

“I’m officially the second captain, which is a big honor for me,” explains Satoransky. “To be the captain for a team like Barcelona, the city and a team that I have a history with, and I fell in love with, [is huge] because this is my second time being here in Barcelona.

“I have always been happy with the support of the fans – they always wanted me to come back. So I’m glad that I could keep that promise, I feel proud about it and I’m always trying to do my best, not only for myself and the team but also for the fans and everybody who supports Barca, because I think that’s what is the nicest [thing] about European basketball.”

Popular in the locker room

Satoransky’s excellent relationship with compatriot Jan Vesely, who also joined in the same summer, is well known, but he also shares a great chemistry with many other players in Barca’s locker room. One player who is particularly fond of Satoransky is big man Oscar Da Silva, who only had words of praise for the Czech playmaker.

“Tomas is such a talented player, such a gifted point guard,” says Da Silva. “He plays really hard, he plays with a lot of energy. I think the best thing about him is that off the court, he’s of an even higher quality than that.

“I think he’s one of the most beloved teammates on our team. He’s always in a good mood, always up for a chat and a joke. It’s just fun to spend time with him off the court.”

Challenging for the EuroLeague title

Barca came up short in last year’s EuroLeague Final Four, losing 66-78 to archrival Real Madrid, and Satoransky was understandably disappointed. When reflecting on that defeat, he argues that being in the best mental state should be among the Blaugrana’s priorities if they make it to that stage of the season this year.

“We always hope to win the EuroLeague, but I just know how extremely tough it is,” notes Satoransky. “Even last year, I really believed we could do it.

“We arrived in the best possible scenario for us, in the best shape, and you still lose that one game and it’s over for you. The format is brutal with the Final Four, so I think we have to be in the best mental state possible for that and then make the best out of it. But, it’s super difficult. That’s why it’s so unique to win the EuroLeague.”