Valencia Basket-Real Madrid: aiming for the Copa del Rey final

Real Madrid faces its thirteenth consecutive Copa del Rey semifinal this evening (6:00 pm CEST; Dazn). They go up against the host, Valencia Basket, in a highly demanding match for our team, the most decorated in the competition. Madrid, which has been present in 11 of the last 12 finals, will aim to qualify once again for the title match.

The tournament's first semifinal promises to be a spectacle. Real Madrid arrives as the undisputed leader of the league at this break (18-2), with a 3-win advantage over Valencia Basket, who are in second place (15-5). In the EuroLeague, the taronjas have one more win than Scariolo's team. They have faced each other three times this season, the most recent being at the Movistar Arena on January 18 during League Matchday 16. On that day, our team secured a 94-79 victory, a performance that must serve as the benchmark: solid defense, high shooting percentages, dominance in rebounding, and minimizing turnovers. 

Today's opponent, with their fast and direct style of play and high-possession games, excels at punishing mistakes. Additionally, they are highly dangerous from the three-point line. Madrid enters this game after a commanding victory over Unicaja in the quarterfinals (100-70), showcasing brilliant team play. Meanwhile, Valencia Basket defeated Joventut 95-84 in a game that was only decided in the final quarter.

Positive precedents
When Madridistas defeated the Valencia team in the semifinals, they went on to lift the title. The first time they met in this round was in Málaga 2020. Madrid convincingly won 91-68 and then triumphed over Unicaja in the final. Two years ago, in the same venue, they won 95-76. In the final, they defeated Barca. That was the last precedent between the two teams in the Copa del Rey tournament. This evening, they aim to secure their spot in the final.

 

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.