Real Madrid-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan: first direct clash for the playoffs
Chus Mateo's charges, who will be aiming for qualification in the next 15 days, will be seeking a crucial win at home today (8.45pm CET).
It's a pivotal week for Real Madrid who face the stern test of a EuroLeague double-header. Deep in the fight for the playoffs, Chus Mateo's boys host EA7 Emporio Armani Milan this evening, who have the same win record but a worse overall basket average. Madrid then visit Belgrade on Friday to take on Crvena Zvezda. The Whites will be hoping, with the support of the Movistar Arena, to get the win to improve their position in the play-offs for the title.
With four games remaining in the Regular Season, only three wins separate 4th from 12th. Madrid are in 10th place, but one win or loss could be the difference between being in or out of the playoffs and the play-in. All of Madrid's remaining games are direct clashes against teams that are fighting for qualification (EA7 Emporio Armani, Crvena Zvezda, Paris Basketball and Partizan; all four in 15 days). The Italian outfit are in the same position. They are twelfth equal with Madrid (+57) and Anadolu Efes (+125) but have the worst basket average of the three (-23). In the reverse fixture, they beat Madrid in Milan 85-76, meaning that the second objective must be to win by more points in the event of a hypothetical draw between the two teams.
Madrid are in fine form heading into the final stretch. They have stringed together five wins in a row between the league and the EuroLeague and are proving solid at home (they have won their last three European games against Baskonia, Barcelona and Asvel). Also, Sunday's huge win against Unicaja bolstered the confidence of a team in which all the players are performing to the best of their ability. Musa is now back to his best (37 in PIR against Unicaja), Garuba and Feliz have stepped up, Hezonja provides a solid guarantee and Tavares has been outstanding. The centre is the difference maker and is in prolific scoring mode (he averaged 18.5 points last week). Madrid will be looking to him to mark the difference on the inside against the Italians.
The opposition
Despite an inconsistent season, which has seen them alternate meritorious victories with defeats, Milan have won two of their last three games on the road. They are the best team from three-point range (39.2) and possess players of great quality such as Mirotic, Shields, Leday, ex-Madrid man Causeur, Bolmaro and Mannion. This will be the 26th time the two teams have clashed in the EuroLeague, with Real Madrid holding a 20 to 5 record.