'29th Copa del Rey' special

On 18 February, 2024, Real Madrid were crowned Copa del Rey champions for the 29th time in the club's history. They Whites secured the trophy after beating Barça in a magnificent final at the Martín Carpena stadium in Málaga, the same venue where Madrid won their 28th title four years earlier. The Copa del Rey kings added to another piece of silverware to their trophy cabinet after winning the competition.

This trophy will be remembered for the team's unity, the strength of the group, solidarity and perseverance. It was Campazzo’s Copa, after being named MVP, but it also belonged to Poirier, Deck, Musa and to each and other one of the players who form part of the Real Madrid squad. And of course, to Chus Mateo, who in the space of a season and a half won four trophies as coach.

Real Madrid went into the Copa del Rey as Liga ACB and EuroLeague leaders, having enjoyed a spectacular first half of the season and with the Spanish Super Cup under their belts. However, they had to prove their worth. The first obstacle came in the form of UCAM Murcia in the quarter-finals. (84-79). In the semi-finals, the Whites came up against Valencia Basket, another strong side, but Real Madrid prevailed after a very complete performance (95-76). The Clásico was to decide the tournament title. Chus Mateo's troops defeated the Barça in a hard-fought final where they gave their all and played like a true team (96-85).

Campazzo, MVP of the tournament
The Argentinian point guard scooped the award on the same stage four years later and after averaging 14.7 points, 6.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 20.3 in PIR. It was also his second consecutive MVP of the season after the one he obtained in the Spanish Super Cup. “I'm delighted because the teamwork was incredible,” he said after the final.

Real Madrid celebrated the trophy win at the Martín Carpena arena, where Florentino Pérez was present and congratulated the champions. Afterwards, the party moved to the dressing room, where the traditional Llull selfie was taken. The club president heaped the praise on Chus Mateo's team: " I'm very proud of this basketball team that never stops winning and delighting us. This final was very beautiful, very competitive and they made a great effort.” The celebrations concluded the next day with the visit to the City Hall and the Comunidad de Madrid to showcase the club’s 29th Copa del Rey crown to all the madridistas.