Real Madrid secured its first EuroLeague victory of the season by defeating Partizan 86-76 at the Movistar Arena, overcoming a winless start to the continental campaign. Pedro Martínez’s side built a commanding advantage during the first half before withstanding a second-half push from the visiting Belgrade team. The team faced this contest after a 0-3 start, a negative run the club had never suffered in its history, while Partizan arrived at the venue undefeated.
A Slashes First Half Builds Decisive Cushion
The opening quarter proved competitive through the midpoint before Real Madrid found offensive rhythm, following an initial 12-12 tie at the equator of the period. Andrés Feliz drained a three-pointer over the buzzer to close the first period ahead at 27-19. The hosts opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run that prompted a timeout from Partizan’s bench, extending the margin to 19 points. Walter Tavares anchored the interior defense and chipped in late-period scoring—contributing 4 points and 2 rebounds in that stretch—to send Real Madrid into halftime leading 53-37, limiting their opponents to just five turnovers across the first two quarters. During this phase, the scoreline shifted from 15-16 to 45-26 nine minutes afterward, boosted by a 19-7 entry burst and contributions from Nick Smith Jr., who tallied 9 points in the second quarter.
Partizan Pushes Back After Halftime
Partizan emerged from the locker room with a 0-9 run to narrow the deficit, capitalizing on a brief offensive drought from the hosts. Guard Carlik Jones and Ethan Thompson sparked the Belgrade offense, reducing the margin to six points at 60-54 by the 26th minute. Real Madrid responded through defensive adjustments and perimeter shooting from Chuma Okeke and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot. A 6-0 closing surge in the final two minutes of the third quarter restored a 71-57 advantage heading into the final period. The visitors had traveled to Madrid without Lamar Stevens, Derek Willis, and Vanja Marinkovic, and faced the second half under the direction of Joan Peñarroya.
Managing the Late-Game Surge
Real Madrid pushed its lead to 20 points at 83-63 in the 33rd minute behind the backcourt direction of Facundo Campazzo and Theo Maledon. Partizan countered with a 10-0 run to close the gap to 83-73, relying on the scoring of Jones and Tonye Jekiri. However, defensive stops and a crucial three-point play by Maledon—who finished as Real Madrid’s leading scorer with 13 points—quelled the comeback attempt. Campazzo added 12 points, while Feliz and Nick Smith Jr. contributed nine points apiece, with Alex Pradilla and Walter Tavares adding 8 points each. For the visiting side, Carlik Jones recorded 19 points, Ethan Thompson scored 14, Tonye Jekiri finished with 11, and Luca Vildoza was restricted to 2 points in his individual duel against Campazzo.
Real Madrid Falls to 1-3 in EuroLeague Standings
With the result, Real Madrid moves to a 1-3 record in the EuroLeague standings, while Partizan drops to 3-1. The outcome leaves no team winless in the competition following Maccabi Tel Aviv’s victory over Olimpia Milano, leaving Valencia Basket and Panathinaikos as the sole remaining undefeated sides. Real Madrid returns to domestic competition on Sunday at 12:00 to face Kids&Us Manresa in the Liga Endesa.
