Real Madrid ends EuroLeague losing streak: beats Partizan 86:76 and now faces Milan
Real Madrid secured its first victory in the basketball EuroLeague in the 2026/27 season after defeating Partizan Belgrade 86:76 at the Movistar Arena in Madrid on October 8. Coach Pedro Martínez's team thus ended a run of three defeats at the start of the competition and, in front of its home supporters, overcame an opponent that had arrived in Madrid with three victories from three games. The win brought relief to a club that had opened the season with an unusually poor record, but it also showed that the problems with maintaining leads have not yet been completely resolved. The home side had convincing control of the game in the first half, while Partizan threatened to mount a comeback twice after the break. Real's next EuroLeague test is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, when it visits Olimpia Milano, another team that has a 1-3 record after four rounds.
Three defeats that increased the pressure on the Madrid club
According to Real Madrid's official reports, the start of the European season was marked by three consecutive away games and three unsuccessful results. Real lost 78:77 to Dubai Basketball on September 24, although it had an opportunity to score the winning basket in the closing stages. Five days later, Anadolu Efes defeated the Madrid team 94:84 in Istanbul, following a game in which Real was trying to overcome a first-half deficit. The third defeat came on October 1 against Hapoel Tel Aviv, which won 102:98 in a game played in Sofia. The Madrid team managed to overturn a substantial deficit on that occasion but failed to hold on to its lead in the final quarter.
In its report on the game against Partizan, the EuroLeague pointed out that Real had never previously opened a season in the competition with a 0-3 record. Such a start carried particular significance for a club that regularly enters the season with high European ambitions. Nevertheless, the three opening defeats were not identical: in Dubai, the result was decided by a single play in the closing moments; in Istanbul, by a decline in performance before halftime; and against Hapoel, by defensive difficulties and problems in the closing stages following a major comeback. The common problem was the inability to sustain periods of high-quality play for long enough. That is why the meeting with Partizan was not merely an opportunity for a first victory in European competition, but also an important test of the stability of Real's new team under Martínez's leadership.
From early balance to a commanding halftime lead
Partizan justified its status as an unbeaten team at the beginning of the game and kept pace with the hosts, primarily thanks to Carlik Jones. According to Real's club report, Jones scored eight points in the opening stages, but the home team began taking the initiative around the seventh minute. Real made five of its eight three-point attempts in the first quarter and increasingly controlled the rebounding, allowing it to create easier offensive opportunities. An important contribution came from the bench: Damian Jones and Andrés Feliz made three-pointers during a run that extended into the beginning of the second period. The EuroLeague reports that Real put together a 14:0 run in less than three minutes to take a 35:19 lead.
The first quarter ended 27:19, while the second brought even greater offensive variety from the home team. Facundo Campazzo connected his teammates, Jaime Pradilla and Walter Tavares provided a presence under the basket, while Nick Smith Jr. scored all nine of his points during the second period. Real reached 45:26 midway through the first half, demonstrating how much the rhythm of the game had changed. According to the EuroLeague report, the Madrid team held a 23:14 rebounding advantage by halftime and found opportunities in transition more easily. Partizan reduced the deficit somewhat through Ethan Thompson, but the 53:37 halftime score clearly reflected the hosts' superior performance.
Partizan cut the deficit to six points, but Real found an answer
The second half showed why it is still too early to speak of Real having completely overcome its crisis in performance. Partizan, coached by Joan Peñarroya, increased its defensive pressure after the break and slowed down the home team's offense, while the Madrid side went through stretches without scoring a basket. Jones and Thompson took advantage of their opponents' declining efficiency, and in the 26th minute the deficit was reduced to just six points, 60:54. At that stage, simply maintaining the previously established advantage was no longer enough; Real had to find effective solutions once again against a set defense. Tavares's presence in the paint, outside shots by Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot and Chuma Okeke, and Campazzo's composure at the free-throw line became important factors.
Real played the closing stages of the third quarter more confidently and increased its lead to 71:57 with a 6:0 run. In the final period, the combination of Campazzo and Maledon once again produced drives and more organized offensive possessions, allowing the home side to establish its largest advantage of 20 points, 83:63, in the 33rd minute. But Partizan still refused to surrender: with a 10:0 run, it closed the gap to 83:73 and raised the question of whether Madrid would once again complicate matters in the closing stages. The answer came through stronger defense and a three-point play by Maledon, who scored a basket and converted the additional free throw. The game finished 86:76, with the quarters, according to the official statistical record, ending 27:19, 26:18, 18:20 and 15:19.
A collective victory without a dominant individual scorer
The game statistics confirm that Real did not rely on a single offensive leader. Theo Maledon was the home team's leading scorer with 13 points and four assists, while Campazzo added 12 points and three assists. Smith Jr. and Feliz scored nine points each, Tavares and Pradilla eight each, and Damian Jones and Luwawu-Cabarrot seven each. Tavares also collected eight rebounds, while several players from the bench helped maintain the intensity during key phases of the game. According to data from the statistical website RealGM, as many as ten Real players scored at least five points, which illustrates the distribution of offensive responsibility.
The EuroLeague report particularly highlights the contribution of the second unit during the period when the home team built its decisive advantage. The hosts made nine of 27 three-point attempts and were flawless from the free-throw line, converting all 17 of their 17 attempts. On the other hand, Partizan made only three of 20 three-pointers, or 15 percent, while converting 17 of 27 free throws. These figures help explain why the visitors were unable to complete their comeback, even though they scored more points than Real after halftime. It was not a perfect performance by the winners, but rather a more efficient use of crucial opportunities when their opponents were closing the gap.
For Partizan, Carlik Jones scored 19 points and provided five assists, Ethan Thompson finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, and Tonye Jekiri added 11 points. Their contributions were important to the second-half comeback, but the Belgrade team lacked sufficient accuracy from outside positions. After four rounds, Real improved its record to one victory and three defeats, while Partizan suffered its first loss and now stands at 3-1. This means that the game changed the mood in both camps, but not the fact that the season is still only beginning. For the Madrid team, the most important gain is its first victory; for Partizan, it is the first serious reminder that even a good start does not guarantee results in demanding away games.
Martínez satisfied with the response but warns of a lack of consistency
Real coach Pedro Martínez emphasized after the game that his team had played some of its best minutes of the season in the first half. According to a statement published on the Madrid club's official website, he particularly highlighted the players' concentration and quick transitions from defense to offense. At the same time, he acknowledged that Partizan adjusted its defense after halftime and made the hosts considerably less confident in their offensive possessions. He described the victory as important for restoring confidence but added that the team must quickly focus on its upcoming commitments. His assessment reflects the two sides of the game: Real demonstrated a level of play with which it can control a strong opponent, but it still has to prove that it can sustain that level throughout an entire game.
Peñarroya offered a similar analysis from the opposite perspective. According to a report by Serbia's Sport Extra, the Partizan coach believes that his team allowed too many easy points in the first half, while controlling the tempo and defense better after the break. Nevertheless, he emphasized that poor shooting percentages prevented a complete comeback. Partizan's response was strong enough to force Madrid into a more uncertain period, but not enough to threaten the final outcome. This contrast reveals the key difference between playing better during one part of a game and delivering the performance needed to win away against a European powerhouse.
Milan awaits Real after suffering its own heavy defeat
Real's next opponent, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano, has also made a poor start to the EuroLeague season. According to the results of the first four rounds, the Milan team lost 92:76 to Partizan in Belgrade, then defeated Virtus Bologna 87:85 in front of its home supporters, before losing 86:76 away to Baskonia. The fourth game ended in another defeat: Maccabi Tel Aviv won 97:79 on October 8 in a match played at a neutral venue in Belgrade. Italy's Sky Sport reported that Olimpia managed to reduce the deficit to just six points by halftime, but lost contact with its opponents again after the break. Moses Wright stood out in coach Peppe Poeta's team with 23 points and eight rebounds, but that was not enough for Milan to avoid its third European defeat.
Both Real and Olimpia therefore enter their head-to-head encounter with 1-3 records, but under different circumstances. Madrid arrives encouraged by its first victory following three unsuccessful away games, while the Milan club is seeking a response to the defeat against Maccabi and a continuation of its recovery in results in front of its home supporters. It is also interesting that both clubs have already played against Partizan in the first four rounds, with the Belgrade team defeating Milan at the start of the season but subsequently losing in Madrid. However, such a comparison is not a reliable prediction of the upcoming game because the styles, squads and circumstances of the matches differ. Above all, it demonstrates how quickly the picture at the beginning of the season changes in a competition with a very demanding schedule.
The October 13 game and the question of Real's first away victory
According to Real's official schedule, Olimpia Milano and Real Madrid will meet in the fifth round on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, starting at 20:30 local time in Italy. The venue is the Unipol Forum in Assago, in the greater Milan area, as also confirmed by the arena's own calendar. For Real, this will be its fourth away game in the first five EuroLeague rounds, and the previous three ended in defeats. The victory against Partizan showed that the team can distribute responsibility more effectively and build a lead, but in Milan it will have to transfer the same approach from familiar surroundings to an away arena. This is particularly important because Real's only EuroLeague victory so far has come at home, while Olimpia also achieved its only victory in front of its home crowd.
From a tactical perspective, it will once again be important for Madrid to secure defensive rebounds and control the tempo, because it was precisely from such situations against Partizan that it created a series of easier offensive opportunities. Milan, on the other hand, will try to prevent periods in which its opponent takes the initiative and builds a substantial lead, something that proved costly against Maccabi. The battle between the big men, particularly Tavares and Wright, could play an important role under the baskets, but equally important will be how Real's perimeter players respond to pressure throughout all 40 minutes. These are questions for which the results of the first four rounds provide indications, but not definitive answers. The advantage will belong to the team that manages to turn quality performances in individual stretches into a more consistent overall display.
The schedule leaves little time for adjustments afterward. According to the club calendar, Real will host ASVEL Villeurbanne on Thursday, October 15, while Olimpia will play Dubai Basketball on its home court on the same day. The EuroLeague features 20 clubs and 38 regular-season rounds in the 2026/27 season, so four games played do not yet determine the ultimate ambitions of either team. Nevertheless, early victories can be important in a competition where every result affects a team's position in the long and demanding battle for the playoffs. In Madrid, Real proved that it can end a negative run; on October 13 in Milan, it will discover whether it can turn that result into its first EuroLeague away victory of the season.
Sources:
- EuroLeague – official report on Real's victory over Partizan and the key developments in the game (link)
- Real Madrid – match report against Partizan, October 8, 2026 (link)
- Real Madrid – statements by coach Pedro Martínez after the game (link)
- Real Madrid – reports on earlier defeats against Dubai, Anadolu Efes and Hapoel (Dubai, Efes, Hapoel)
- RealGM – statistical box score and quarter-by-quarter results of the Real – Partizan game (link)
- Sport Extra – statement by Partizan coach Joan Peñarroya after the defeat (link)
- Sky Sport Italia – report on Olimpia's defeat against Maccabi on October 8 (link)
- Virtus Bologna – official result of the EuroLeague game against Olimpia Milano (link)
- BasketNews – Olimpia Milano's results in the first four EuroLeague rounds (link)
- Real Madrid – official EuroLeague schedule for the 2026/27 season (link)
- Unipol Forum – event schedule and confirmation of the game's venue in Milan (link)