Real Madrid decisively defeated Valencia, final score 96 -79, in a match that counted for the 31st round of the Euroleague, “los blancos” managing to return to the game, after a more hesitant start. Mario Hezonja and Walter Tavares were the best basketball players on the court in the camp prepared by Sergio Scariolo, while Jean Montero “shone” for the team led by Pedro Sanchez Martinez. This success allows the team from the capital of Spain to continue its series of four consecutive successes obtained in all competitions, unlike the guests who lost for the first time in a long time to the same opponent.
Real Madrid and Valencia faced each other in the 31st round of the current Euroleague season, and the “los blancos” and the visiting team, respectively, were separated by a single point in the general standings, with the visitors holding a slim advantage. In the group’s most recent home game in the Spanish capital, the team coached by Sergio Scariolo had achieved success against the Italians from Virtus Bologna, with a final score of 92-84, the match being played in the same competition, while, domestically, Real Madrid had most recently won against Gran Canaria, with a two-point difference.
On the other hand, the Valencia team was coming into this game after a convincing home win in the domestic championship against Murcia, with a final score of 110-84, and on the continental stage, the club led by Pedro Sanchez Martinez had defeated Zalgiris Kaunas, “at home”, in a “close” match that was decided by four points in favor of the Spaniards. 19 wins and 11 losses were the record of “los blancos” in this edition of the Euroleague, in contrast to the 20 wins and 10 losses recorded by their opponents.
As for the direct duels between the two teams, the most recent such match had brought success to Real Madrid, on Valencia’s field, with a final score of 108-106, and the last meeting between these teams that took place in the Spanish capital would end with 15 points in favor of the hosts. However, before these two games, Valencia had managed to win twice in a row against the “Madridians”, including at the “Movistar Arena”. Real Madrid’s last defeat, in Europe, in front of their own fans, was in November of last year, when the Greeks from Panathinaikos won with a final score of 87-77.
After several misses on both sides at the start of the game, Mario Hezonja was the one who unlocked the scoreboard, managing to score a three-point basket. Josep Puerto responded to an attack by the guests and reduced the difference. Facundo Campazzo obtained two throws to the basket, and the “los blancos” player only made use of one of them, following which, on the counterattack, Brancoij Badio added three points to the total for his team. Chuma Okeke spun around an opponent and put the ball in the basket, and Walter Tavares then got the ball in front and “moved” the backboard.
Omari Moore tied the score a few moments later when he scored from long range for Pedro Sanchez Martinez’s set. Walter Tavares received a pass near the backboard from Facundo Campazzo, and the Real Madrid player did not disappoint, but another three-pointer was converted by Valencia, and Neal Sako then managed a slam dunk. Andres Felix reduced the gap between the two teams to a single point, thanks to a precise shot from outside the semicircle, and Gabriel Deck brought the spectators to their feet when he scored from long range.
The second quarter of this matchup began with the home team holding a tenuous lead, but Valencia immediately came back into the game. Later, a huge scandal erupted in the arena in the Spanish capital when Real Madrid had a shot on goal disallowed because a home player blocked an opponent during the execution. People quickly forgot about that moment, when Theo Maledon made an extremely spectacular three-pointer and allowed his team to close in on their rivals. Gabriel Deck managed a “ten-point” twist past an opponent and brought two crucial points to his team, but the home team’s next attack could not be converted.
Neal Sako hit a stunning slam dunk with about five minutes left in the quarter, and Valencia had taken another one-point lead. However, a three-pointer from Alberto Abalde gave Real Madrid their first lead in a long time. Gabriel Deck was back at the rim again, scoring a close-range shot after a precise pass from Facudo Campazzo.
Sergio Llull showed off a moment of virtuosity in the second quarter when he decided to shoot from long range, and his execution brought the Whites three points, just as it did on the end of Mario Hezonja’s shot. The Croatian scored again, but from a different angle, to keep Real Madrid’s six-point lead. Chuma Okeke scored after easily dribbling past an opponent, and Sergio Scariolo’s team would go 12 points clear at that point.
Walter Tavares didn’t miss from a few meters, and the second half would start in a positive way for “los blancos”, Facundo Campazzo completing this impression when he took advantage of the free space left by his opponents and shot for a three-pointer. 16 points would be put on the scoreboard between the two teams when Chuma Okeke scored from close range in the “Movistar Arena”. Alberto Abalde rose to the level of his teammates when the clock showed five minutes left in this quarter, managing to score from a considerable distance.
Valencia responded with Sergio De Larrea a few seconds later, and the away team’s “number five” shot from the edge of the semicircle shook the net of the opposing basket. A quick combination by two home players left Gabriel Deck in a favorable position to complete the action, and the player who played for two seasons in the NBA converted the shot, putting an eight-point difference on the scoreboard. The fourth quarter began with an impressive offensive game by Real Madrid, and Walter Tavares scored spectacularly from outside the semicircle to secure a 16-point advantage for “los blancos”.
Facundo Campazzo shot for a three-pointer, and Walter Tavares also scored a few seconds later, Sergio Llull putting the ball in the basket in a fabulous way. The crowd’s favorite moment was Walter Tavares’ block towards the end of the match. Thanks to this success, Real Madrid extends their winning streak in all competitions to four, while Valencia remains without a win against “los blancos” in the Spanish capital since 2025. In the next round, Sergio Scariolo’s team will play in Lithuania, against Zalgiris Kaunas, unlike the guests in the duel in the “Movistar Arena” who will host Barcelona.