Real Madrid set emotion aside on Thursday and pushed hard to secure a victory that mattered. The clash, marked on the calendar as a red letter day, pitted the European powerhouse against Bayern Munich in the Euroleague, and it brought back memories of Pablo Laso returning to the WiZink Center in a night filled with nostalgia and competitive fire.
The coach had spent eleven years with the white team, amassing a record number of appearances and guiding the club to 22 official titles. When his name crackled through the arena’s speakers, the crowd rose, a thunderous wave of cheers and tears mingling as they celebrated a man who had become synonymous with a golden era in Madrid basketball. The moment captured an unbreakable bond between figure and fans, a reminder that some connections endure beyond eras and seasons.
Then the ball was in play and the real work began. The home fans initially faced a chilly reception from players who had once been Laso’s lauded pupils. Bayern opened with an 8-0 burst, and Isaac Bonga’s five missed attempts provided the visiting side with a clear signal that an early edge would not be relinquished easily. The action quickly moved toward the paint as Madrid, feeling the pressure, attacked the basket with urgency while Bayern tried to balance the floor with disciplined ball movement and sharp shooting. In this frame, the presence of Serge Ibaka loomed large for the Bavarian defense, his three blocks a stark reminder of who controls the key moments in front of a sellout crowd.
The first quarter left Madrid trailing by a narrow margin, reflecting an unusually low shooting efficiency with an 8 out of 22 conversion rate. Bayern, though not clinical, found a rhythm behind the arc and moved more freely from three point range, edging ahead 23-19 as the clock neared the end of the period. The game’s tempo suggested a contest that would hinge on individual runs and the ability to seize momentum for longer stretches.
As the second quarter unfolded, the veteran Madrid core stepped forward. Sergios Rodríguez and Sergio Llull bore the burden with energy and experience, lifting a crowd that remembered their younger days. They combined on several plays, stretching the floor with accurate long-range shooting and sustaining a narrow, but persistent, advantage. A few timely baskets from distance kept the team within reach as the half wore on, and a late surge nudged Madrid ahead briefly with a 42-37 tally as the period closed. The back-and-forth energy of the game underscored how much Laso’s legacy still fueled the building, even as the club faced a newer generation of challengers.
In another milestone moment, Fabien Causeur reached a significant career threshold by surpassing 300 offensive rebounds in top-tier competition. His relentless work ethic helped him climb into the all-time top six for this category, a record that added another layer of historical interest to an evening already heavy with narrative. The moment also highlighted Madrid’s commitment to players who have proven their worth through consistency and hard-won results, a hallmark of the club across decades.
The second half opened with Madrid once again missing two of their key players at home, Facundo Campazzo and Mario Hezonja. Both were available for important stretches, and their return to the floor rejuvenated the Madrid attack. Campazzo’s quickness and vision meshed with Hezonja’s precision from long range, generating a spark that immediately shifted the momentum. The pair’s presence electrified the stands, turning the WiZink Center into a cauldron of anticipation as Madrid looked to seize control of the game and the contest began to tilt toward their side.
Bayern answered with a few counterpunches of their own. Carsten Edwards and Devin Booker contributed valuable points, and the team used a mix of drives and spot-up triples to try and steady the ship. Yet Madrid displayed resilience as Sergios Rodríguez continued to influence the floor in crucial moments, converting a sequence that turned a potential run by Bayern into a decisive spurt for Madrid. The home team delivered a 14-2 run early in the decisive period, a stretch that delivered a jolt to the visitors and signaled a turning point in the evening’s outcome.
The late stretch saw Madrid applying their experience and discipline to withstand any late Bayern pressure. The Bavarians attempted to mount a comeback, but the margin proved difficult to erase as the clock whittled away. The game finished with Madrid extending their lead, showing both technical prowess and mental toughness that defined a team accustomed to high stakes and intense scrutiny. The drama of the night lay not only in the scoreboard but in the emotional arc of a club that had welcomed back a beloved figure, seasoned with the lessons of a long, storied tenure at the club’s helm. The players and fans left the arena with a shared sense of respect for a moment that transcended sport, a reminder that loyalty, history, and relentless effort can fuse into a powerful and memorable performance.
– Data sheet:
88 – Madrid with scores by quarter: 19, 23, 21, 25. Campazzo 13, Causeur 6, Musa 4, Ndiaye 0, Tavares 8, Llull 16, Hezonja 12, Deck 7, Poirier 11, Rodriguez 11, others not listed.
73 – Bayern Munich with scores by quarter: 23, 14, 20, 17. Edwards 11, Bonga 15, Booker 14, Ibaka 6, Francisco 11, Brankovic 4, Weiler-Babb 6, others not listed.
referees: Milan Nedovic, Luka Kardum and Adar Peer. Booker was disqualified for five fouls.
Events: The 14th matchday of the Euroleague basketball competition was played in front of approximately 10,000 spectators at the WiZink Center in Madrid.