Barça delivered a blistering performance in a hard fought clash against Real Madrid on a Sunday that kept Palau Blaugrana buzzing. The home side opened with energy, but Madrid answered with determination, staging a powerful second half that swung the game and forced a dramatic finish. Poirier 0.8’s late foul moment added to the tension as the final minutes approached, underscoring how tightly contested this league showdown was.
The French center swelled the action by drawing a whistle that silenced the Madrid bench, while Pablo Laso reacted with a wry smile. Sanli failed to convert the first attempt, yet he found his rhythm on the second, tying the score at 89-89 and pushing the contest into overtime.
Hayes had a look that could have sealed it, but the shot missed. The sequence between Poirier and Sanli on the high rebound became a focal point, and Llull, with 0.8 remaining, delivered a timely triple as the clock kept ticking. Madrid then closed the gap in a five minute spell to seize the initiative, with Exum tightening up defensively and Madrid answering a subsequent rally from Barça that had Hayes respond with a surge of nine points. Madrid looked to claw back, while Exum loosened the tension and added fight for the visitors.
Minutes elapsed in quick succession, and a clash between Mirotic and Abalde tipped the balance in a moment scrutinized by officials, resulting in two players being sent off. Barça endured a rough patch as the intensity spiked, but Laso’s squad clamped down defensively, making the late pace of the game feel uneasy for the home team.
Laprovittola supplied nerves of steel as he steered Saras’s team through a critical stretch. The Argentine guard took command of a Barça side that had started the game slow yet rallied beautifully to lead by ten points in a first half that finished at 51-46. The balance of the game hinged on sharp passing, disciplined defense, and timely scoring that kept Barça within striking distance despite Madrid’s relentless push.
Smits earned praise for his all around play as the standout facilitator for his team. Mirotic continued to deliver at the basket, and Madrid leaned on Yabusele and Poirier to supply firepower, fighting back with a resilience rooted in a desire for revenge and a sense of wounded pride. Llull’s leadership fueled the comeback while Mirotic faced an early departure that left Barça briefly leaderless. Taylor added defensive intensity, and a critical turnover created space for Hanga to help secure the late advantage as Hayes contributed in the closing moments.
When the overtime began, the game intensified even further, with moments that tested both sides. Medics and officials kept the rhythm as Madrid tried to cement a comeback while Barça fought to keep the momentum. The drama extended into a period that felt decisive, as the host team leaned on resilience and collective effort to maintain the lead. By the time the final whistle sounded, Barça had asserted their control and outlasted Madrid in a defining night at Palau Blaugrana. This was the 11th Clasico of the season featuring Jasikevicius’s coached side, a testament to the relentless energy and strategic focus that characterized the matchup.
DATA SHEET:
RESULT: BARÇA 108 Real Madrid 97 with a halftime score of 51-46.
TEAMS:
BARÇA: Laprovittola 20, Calathes 3, Exum 16, Mirotic 14, Smits 18 – starting five –, Sanli 10, Jokubaitis 5, Martinez, Abrines, Kuric 6, Hayes 16, Nnaji.
REAL MADRID: Abalde 7, Taylor 4, Deck 17, Yabusele 13, Tavares 14 – starting five –, Causeur 3, Poirier 14, Llull 10, Hanga 11, Randolph 4.
PARTS: 27-23, 24-23, 20-19, 18-24, 19-8.
REFEREES: Conde, Martin Caballero and Oyón.
CORNER: Palau Blaugrana.