Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv against Real Madrid: the series has gained new weight
Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv and Real Madrid enter a matchup which, according to the current EuroLeague schedule, is not the season final, but the fourth game of the quarter-final play-off series. That is an important difference for a fan: it is not a one-night game for a trophy, but for a place at the Final Four, and the pressure is almost the same as in a final because a defeat can change the entire season. Real Madrid entered the series with home-court advantage after finishing third in the league phase, while Hapoel finished sixth and brought into the play-offs one of the most dangerous offensive backcourts in the competition. Tickets for this matchup are in demand among fans because the series is no longer a routine journey for the favorite, but a duel in which Hapoel has already shown that it can slow Madrid down and force it into nervous possessions.
The first three games gave a clear picture of the rhythm of the series. Real Madrid opened with 86-82 and then a convincing 102-75 in Madrid, but Hapoel responded in the third game with a 76-69 win. That result changed the tone of the entire duel: Madrid is still the team with more experience in closing moments, but Hapoel proved that it can survive physical play, lower the tempo and win a game in which the score does not constantly run toward 90 points. For a neutral viewer, that means one thing - the fourth matchup should not be a shooting showcase, but a game of contact, rebounding control and nerves in the final five minutes.
- Real Madrid finished the league phase in third place, with a 24-14 record.
- Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv finished sixth, with a 23-15 record.
- The first game of the series ended 86-82 for Real Madrid.
- The second game went convincingly to Madrid, 102-75.
- Hapoel won the third game 76-69 and extended the series.
What is at stake
The stake is a place at the 2026 Final Four, which according to the EuroLeague schedule is planned for May 22-24 in Athens, at the Telekom Center Athens. Real Madrid knows what it means to reach the final weekend and play there under maximum pressure, but in this series it has to solve the problem without one of its most important defensive figures. Hapoel, on the other hand, is chasing a result that would carry the weight of a historic European step forward for the project led by Dimitris Itoudis. In the context of one game, Madrid has experience, depth and Campazzo; Hapoel has energy, the home-style charge of its fan base and players who can string together ten points in a few possessions.
It is also important to emphasize an organizational detail. The event’s entry information lists Shlomo Group Arena in Tel Aviv, but the current EuroLeague game center for the matchup on May 7, 2026 lists Arena Botevgrad as the venue. Therefore, before departure, fans should check the latest operational information on their ticket and in the organizer’s announcement. This guide keeps the context of Hapoel’s base in Tel Aviv and Shlomo Group Arena, but the travel section should be read with caution because Israeli clubs’ games in European competitions this season may be played outside Israel.
Hapoel’s formula: Bryant, Micic, Oturu and a defense that must last 40 minutes
Hapoel’s roster this season is not a group that depends on one scorer. Elijah Bryant brings strength on the ball, Antonio Blakeney pure offensive explosion, Vasilije Micic reading of the game from the pick-and-roll, and Daniel Oturu finishing around the rim and rebounding. In the third game of the series, Hapoel got exactly what it needed: a defense that forced Real Madrid into a worse rhythm, enough bodies on the glass and several possessions in which it did not rush. When Hapoel does not lose patience, Micic can wait for the mismatch, Bryant can attack the defender’s shoulder, and Oturu can punish every late collapse into the paint.
Dimitris Itoudis is a coach who knows how to prepare a series. His Hapoel must not rush into the game as if it has to hit 15 three-pointers to win. Real Madrid is most dangerous when the opponent starts shooting quickly after one pass, because then Campazzo and Hezonja get open court. Hapoel therefore has to look for longer possessions, plenty of contact on the first line of the screen and an aggressive retreat into defense. Kessler Edwards was an example of that kind of energy in the third game: defensive presence, help in the right place and enough athleticism to prevent Madrid from getting easy points at the rim.
- Elijah Bryant is one of Hapoel’s main creators of points through contact and transition.
- Vasilije Micic carries the organization of the offense and can slow the game down when Hapoel needs a calm possession.
- Daniel Oturu is crucial for rebounding, rim protection and finishes from the pick-and-roll.
- Antonio Blakeney is a player for scoring runs, especially when Madrid’s defense is late on closeouts.
- Dimitris Itoudis must maintain defensive discipline without too many cheap fouls.
Real Madrid: Campazzo leads, but Tavares’s absence changes everything
Real Madrid has a luxury that many teams do not have: when one leader falls out of rhythm, there are several others who can take over the game. Facundo Campazzo scored 21 points in the first game and made six three-pointers, immediately showing that he would not be only a playmaker but also an offensive threat. Mario Hezonja provides height and shooting from the wing, Trey Lyles can stretch the floor from a big-man position, and Usman Garuba and Alex Len have to cover minutes in the paint after Walter Tavares’s injury. Tavares’s injury is precisely one of the main stories of the series.
Walter Tavares is out of action for this part of the series because of an injury to the medial collateral ligament of his left knee. That is not an ordinary absence. With him, Madrid can defend the rim without too much help from the wings; without him it has to be more precise in rotations, close out the rebound better and distribute Garuba’s and Len’s minutes more intelligently. Hapoel will try to attack that through Oturu, Micic and Bryant’s drives. If Madrid’s bigs quickly get into foul trouble, Scariolo will have to improvise with smaller lineups, and then rebounding becomes an open wound.
Sergio Scariolo has a different problem from Itoudis. Real Madrid does not have to invent an identity, but it has to find the right degree of control. After the 76-69 loss in the third game, the most important question is not only who will score, but who will calm the offense when Hapoel raises its aggressiveness. Campazzo can solve a possession from the pick-and-roll, but Madrid also needs precise decisions from Hezonja, Lyles and the perimeter shooters. If the game turns into isolations without ball flow, Hapoel will live off every missed three-pointer.
Tactical expectations: rebounding, fouls and the rhythm of the backcourt
The most important basketball detail will be the space around the paint. With Tavares, Madrid could let defenders close out more aggressively on shooters, knowing that an elite rim protector stands behind them. Without him, every help rotation has to be exact. Hapoel will try to attack the middle of the floor, force Garuba or Len out of the comfort zone and then open the corner for Blakeney or Bryant. Real Madrid will respond with ball pressure, early switches and an effort to prevent Micic from settling into the game with too many calm possessions.
The second detail is tempo. Hapoel does not want to run constantly if that means chaos, but it wants to use every Madrid turnover. Real Madrid, however, likes it when Campazzo can accelerate after a defensive rebound and find Hezonja or a big man before the defense gets set. That is why the first quarter will be a good indicator of the direction of the game. If Hapoel imposes a physical rhythm early and keeps Madrid below easy points, the crowd will feel that the series is truly alive. If Madrid enters a shooting run like in the second game, the pressure immediately returns to Itoudis’s bench.
Seats in the stands disappear quickly when a series approaches a decisive moment. Games like this also attract fans who do not usually travel to every away game, because the direction of the entire season can change in 40 minutes.
Form and the head-to-head rhythm of the series
Hapoel finished the league phase just behind the group of the biggest favorites, and that is no coincidence. The team has offensive depth, several players with experience in big games and a coach who knows how to use a series for adjustments. The 102-75 loss in the second game could have broken Hapoel psychologically, but the 76-69 response showed that the team had not lost belief. For Hapoel fans, that is the most important signal: this was not just one good shooting night, but a game won with defense.
Real Madrid entered the season with high ambitions and finished the league phase ahead of Hapoel, but the series has opened questions about physical condition and role distribution. Campazzo is still the first name when the game is being decided, Hezonja can score over a hand, and Llull brings experience that is not measured only in points. But without Tavares, every defensive mistake costs more. Madrid must prevent Hapoel’s second-chance attacks and must not allow Bryant and Micic to constantly attack the defense in retreat.
- Hapoel must keep the game within reach until the final quarter and avoid empty minutes like in the second game.
- Real Madrid must protect the ball better than it did in the 76-69 defeat.
- Madrid’s defensive rebounding will be under special scrutiny because of Tavares’s absence.
- Micic and Campazzo lead the most important point-guard duel of the evening.
- Three-pointers by Blakeney and Hezonja can quickly change the atmosphere in the arena.
The arena and the fan context
Shlomo Group Arena, listed in the basic event information, is located at Isaac Remba St 7 in Tel Aviv. The arena opened in 2014 and is tied to Hapoel’s everyday basketball life. Available sources list the capacity at around 3,500 seats, which means it is not a huge arena but a compact space where sound gathers quickly. For basketball, that can be a major advantage: every steal, every block and every run of three-pointers feels closer to the court than in large multipurpose arenas.
If the game is operationally played at Arena Botevgrad, as the EuroLeague game center states, the fan experience will be different. Botevgrad is not Tel Aviv, but precisely a more neutral court often creates a special kind of tension: less routine, more travel, more checks before entry and less spontaneous arrival at the last moment. That is why the practical advice is simple - do not plan arrival according to habit, but according to the latest information on the ticket and the game schedule.
Tel Aviv as a city has a strong sporting rhythm, especially when European basketball is being played. Fans who come because of Hapoel often seek not only the game, but the whole day around it: gathering before the matchup, a short walk through the city, food near the arena and earlier entry to avoid crowds. If the location changes or is confirmed outside Israel, that plan must be adapted, but the sporting logic remains the same - for a game like this, arriving at the last moment is not a good idea.
Practical information for arrival
For fans, the most important thing is not to rely only on the initial event announcement. Because of the difference between the listed Shlomo Group Arena and the current EuroLeague game center, before departure it is necessary to check the exact arena, city, local start time and entry regime. That is not a formality, but a real difference between a local arrival in Tel Aviv and international travel to another country.
- Check the exact arena on the ticket and in the latest schedule before setting off.
- Arrive earlier because of security checks, especially because this is a high-interest game.
- For Shlomo Group Arena, count on the address Isaac Remba St 7 in Tel Aviv.
- For public transport, use current local apps and do not rely on old routes or timetables.
- Plan parking in advance because compact arenas quickly create congestion in the surrounding streets.
Ticket sales for this game are ongoing, and it is worth securing them in time because the fourth game of a play-off series carries a different charge from a league round. Fans come aware that they may watch an evening in which one team moves closer to the Final Four, while the other perhaps extends the series to a decisive fifth game.
The atmosphere to expect
Hapoel fans are known for turning the arena into a very unpleasant place for the opponent, especially when they feel that the team is playing defense and fighting for every ball. In the third game of the series, Hapoel gained energy from defense, and that type of game is the easiest to ignite the stands. A spectacular alley-oop is not needed for the crowd to get involved; often a strong offensive rebound, a drawn foul or Campazzo being forced into a difficult shot over a hand is enough.
Real Madrid is used to that kind of pressure. It is a club that often plays games in which everyone is waiting for its fall, so Scariolo’s team will not be surprised by the noise. The question is whether it can remain calm if Hapoel opens the game with an 8-0 run or if the referees allow contact on both sides. Campazzo is the ideal player for putting out such fires, but Hapoel will try to tire him out with constant attacks and changing defenders.
For the spectator in the stands, the greatest value of this matchup is tactical clarity. There is not much hiding: Hapoel must hit enough outside shots to stretch Madrid’s defense, but it must not forget Oturu. Real Madrid must find points without relying on Tavares’s defensive security and must withstand periods when Hapoel plays aggressively on the edge of a foul. If the game enters the final two minutes with one or two possessions between the teams, the ball will almost certainly end up with Campazzo or Micic.
Players who can decide the evening
Facundo Campazzo is Madrid’s first name because he controls the rhythm, reads defensive help and can hit a shot when the opponent goes under the screen. Mario Hezonja is dangerous because he does not need a perfectly constructed offense to score - he can hit over a smaller defender or attack a closeout. Usman Garuba is important for another reason: his energy and defensive rotations can reduce the damage caused by Tavares’s absence. If Garuba stays out of foul trouble, Madrid has a much more stable structure.
For Hapoel, Elijah Bryant is the engine who can connect the emotion of the stands and the result on the scoreboard. When he drives toward the rim, the defense has to choose between help and an open shot. Vasilije Micic brings calmness and experience from big European games; his task is not only to assist, but also to recognize when to slow down. Daniel Oturu is the man who can profit most from Tavares’s absence. If he catches an early rhythm on the glass and finishes several balls around the rim, Madrid will have to collapse its defense, and that opens space for shooters.
It is worth securing tickets in time because duels like this often also attract neutral basketball lovers. It is not necessary to support one side to understand how interesting the clash of Campazzo’s control, Micic’s patience, Hapoel’s energy and Madrid’s depth is.
Fan guide through game day
The best plan for a matchup like this is simple: check the location earlier, set off without counting on the last minute and enter the arena well before tip-off. At high-profile games, queues often form at checkpoints, and additional security protocols can prolong entry. If the game is played at Shlomo Group Arena, the compact arena means that the atmosphere builds already during warm-ups. If it is played in Botevgrad, travel and day organization become even more important.
Fans following Hapoel should expect a game in which every defensive sequence will be greeted like a basket. Real Madrid fans will watch whether their team can react after a defeat without panic and without forcing too many shots. For both sides, the first quarter is not decisive, but it can set the tone: Hapoel is seeking belief that a turnaround in the series is possible, Real Madrid is seeking proof that the third game was only a setback.
This is a matchup to watch through small details. Who enters the bonus first. Who controls the defensive rebound. How many times Micic manages to force Madrid’s bigs to come out too high. How many open shots Hezonja gets from the second pass. How much energy Bryant has in the final quarter. It is precisely from those small things that a game emerges which may look tough on the scoreboard, but be extremely rich for a fan who knows what they are watching.
Sources:
- EuroLeague Basketball - play-off schedule, game center for Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs Real Madrid, information about Arena Botevgrad, results of the series games and news about Walter Tavares’s absence.
- Real Madrid - club preview of the play-off series, confirmation that Real Madrid entered as the third seed, Hapoel as the sixth seed and that the series is played best-of-five.
- AS - information about Walter Tavares’s injury, the role of Campazzo, Garuba and Len, and the context after Hapoel’s 76-69 victory.
- El Pais - reports from the quarter-final series, results of the first games and description of the course of the series between Real Madrid and Hapoel.
- RealGM - league-phase standings, team records, basic statistical leaders of Hapoel and the context of the 2025/2026 season.
- Shlomo Group Arena / available arena data - address, opening year and approximate arena capacity used for the fan guide.