Real Madrid enters the final straight before the Final Four in Athens. Real Madrid will play two league matches in four days ahead of the Final Four in Athens. The team has already secured first place but is forced to adapt due to the absence of key players. Ahead lies tough opposition and the challenge of reaching peak form.
Real Madrid is at the center of Spanish basketball's attention: four days before the start of the Final Four in Athens, the club faces two key League matches. The team is heading to Bilbao today to face Surne Bilbao Basket—a team that still has a real shot at making the playoffs and shows strong performances at home. This season, the Basques have claimed 11 out of their 14 wins on their home court, making the upcoming game especially tense for the visitors.
Madrid goes into the series without two key players—Tavares and Len will not be able to help the team. This forces the coaching staff to adjust tactics against the physically imposing opponents, featuring standouts like Hlinason, Krampelj, Petrasek, and Bagayoko. Special attention will also be required on defense: Pantzar, Jaworski, and Hilliard regularly pose a threat from the perimeter. Despite roster losses, Real Madrid maintains an impressive streak of 14 consecutive away wins and aims to extend it in Bilbao.
Madrid still has four rounds left before the end of the regular season, but the team has already secured first place in the standings. This allows them to use the upcoming games not only to stay sharp but also to prepare for the decisive stage of the season. On Sunday, Real Madrid will host Joventut at home—its final home test before traveling to Athens.
Interest in the race for a place in the Final Four is especially high this season: recently, Valencia Basket came close to a historic achievement, which was discussed in detail in the article about the decisive game against Panathinaikos. Against this backdrop, attention on Real Madrid's performance is only growing.
In the first round, the Madrid team had already defeated Surne Bilbao Basket away with a score of 80:72, where Maledon (17 points) and Hezonja (15 points) played a key role. However, the current circumstances and the absence of several players make the upcoming match less predictable. For both teams, the result could be decisive: for the hosts—in the race for the playoffs, for the visitors—in their search for optimal form ahead of the European final.
The EuroLeague Final Four in Athens will take place from May 22 to 24. The tournament traditionally brings together the strongest clubs in Europe and determines the continental champion. Last season, Real Madrid already claimed the EuroLeague title, while Surne Bilbao Basket continues to fight for a return to the ranks of Spain's leading teams.
