In Belgrade on Tuesday, Real Madrid built on their solid momentum with a 59-79 victory over Red Star, a win that keeps the Spaniards atop the Euroleague standings. The performance underscored Madrid’s ability to deliver against a Red Star side intent on gaining momentum but unable to translate it into a sustained push throughout the night. (Source: Euroleague)
Walter Tavares, once again a dominant presence, provided the backbone of Madrid’s effort with a stat line that reflected his impact: 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks, and a 35 efficiency rating. The Cape Verdean center consistently finished through contact in the paint and racked up offensive boards that forced Serbian defenders to improvise. From the opening minutes, Madrid demonstrated a clear sense of purpose against a Red Star squad that struggled to find rhythm, a challenge that prompted Dusko Ivanovic to call an early timeout late in the fourth period. (Source: Euroleague)
Nemanja Nedovic opened with a pair of quick three-pointers followed by eight straight points in just over two minutes, briefly tipping the scales before Madrid steadied with composed ball movement and accurate shooting. An 11-1 Madrid burst swung the game decisively in their favor, and despite Red Star’s late push, the visitors maintained control of the scoreboard and entered the first timeout with a comfortable lead at 16-25. The clock favored Red Star in certain moments, yet Madrid kept its poise throughout. (Source: Euroleague)
A Sergio Rodríguez triple sparked a sequence that included a spectacular block from Vincent Poirier and a clean 2+1 conversion, reigniting Madrid’s offense. Musa rode the wave, pushing the advantage to 17-31 as the visitors dictated tempo and decision-making. Nedovic carried the Red Star attack for long stretches, while Madrid’s deeper rotation continued to contribute, keeping the balance firmly in Madrid’s favor. (Source: Euroleague)
By halftime, Nedovic had drilled four triples and totaled 14 points, keeping Red Star within reach as Stefan Markovic contributed steady leadership for the home side. Filip Petrusev’s rhythm found a momentary groove before the teams reached the locker room with the score showing 34-38. (Source: Euroleague)
Early in the third quarter, Real Madrid endured a brief dip as Red Star seized an 8-0 run. Dusko Ivanovic used a timeout to reset his squad, nudging Madrid to adjust on the fly. Petr Cornelie contributed during a stretch of limited Madrid activity, and Petrusev found his stride as the game tightened. Yet Madrid’s resilience and strong offensive rebounding kept the game within reach, finishing the third period with a narrow lead after a 2-15 run that left the scoreboard at 51-57 heading into the final period. (Source: Euroleague)
Opening the fourth, Madrid pressed harder, leveraging Tavares’ length and authority to deter the Serbian attack. The defense tightened, and although Red Star produced a brief surge, Madrid steadied again and asserted control. A decisive 0-12 sprint to start the final period, followed by a burst of 20 points in a short span, restored Madrid’s command with six minutes left and cemented their position at the top of the standings. The plan was straightforward: ride Tavares’ post play, maintain disciplined execution, and repel Red Star’s counterpunch with relentless defense. The rhythm returned, and the hosts could not sustain the late resistance. (Source: Euroleague)
In the closing stages, Madrid’s collective effort and the efficiency gap in shooting overwhelmed Red Star. The victory marked Real Madrid’s twelfth win in the Euroleague and reinforced their strong standing this season. The balance between Tavares’ scoring resource in the paint and Madrid’s guard line threat proved decisive, leaving Red Star chasing a game they could not fully seize. (Source: Euroleague)
Data sheet: 59 – Red Star (16+18+17+8): Markovic (5), Mitrovic (-), Lazic (-), Petrusev (17) and Dobric (11) -top five-, Holland (-), Ilic (-), Nedovic (18), Lazarevic (2) and Kuzmic (6). 79 – Real Madrid (25+13+19+22): William-Goss (9), Causeur (-), Abalde (2) Yabusele (8) and Tavares (17) -first quintet-, Cornelie (12), Moses (19), Hanga (2), Llull (-), Sergio Rodriguez (5) and Poirier (5). Referees: Olegs Latisevs, Carmelo Paternico and Tomasz Trawicki. The match of the 18th day of the Euroleague was played at the Alexander Nikolic Hall in Belgrade. The Red Star players wore T-shirts with the slogan FreeFacu during warm-ups to demand the Euroleague allow registration of Argentine playmaker Facundo Campazzo, a detail noted in the broadcast for context and historical reference. (Source: Euroleague)