Madrid kicks off the league with a victory

Real Madrid began the 2026-27 Liga Endesa with a hard-fought victory against Unicaja Málaga at the Movistar Arena. Our team had to dig deep and overcome a lack of outside shooting accuracy to secure the win in the final stretch with a 17-7 run in the last 6 minutes, starting 8 points down. A standout performance from Maledon, who led the team with 17 points, 7 assists, and a valuation of 23, along with crucial contributions from Campazzo (15 points, 15 assists) and Luwawu-Cabarrot (14 points, 12 rebounds) in decisive moments. Before the game, Madrid presented the EuroLeague Super Cup, won in Abu Dhabi, to the fans at the Movistar Arena.

After an initial exchange of baskets, with Unicaja shooting more effectively (12-16, min. 7), Real Madrid took the lead following a 7-0 run. Pedro Martínez utilized all 12 players in a first quarter where Luwawu-Cabarrot broke the tie with four consecutive points in the closing moments (23-22).

Parity reigns
Madrid stayed true to its style and, despite low shooting percentages from outside, found points close to the rim (85% accuracy in the first half) thanks to the solid performances of Maledon, Jones, and Tavares. Abalde, the sharpest from the perimeter, opened up a small 8-point gap midway through the second quarter. However, the team couldn't pull away from a Unicaja side that always had a player on a hot streak, with Willy Hernangómez, Hunt, and Brazdeikis stepping up. The latter led a 10-2 run in their favor, allowing the visitors to take the lead at halftime (46-47).

The pattern continued in the third quarter. Severely hampered by poor outside shooting, Madrid continued to concede easy baskets to Unicaja, driven by the active Perry and Hernangómez. Maledon carried the team with his signature drives, but Madrid needed to change the game's rhythm. Another Unicaja run at the end of the third quarter left the score at 65-71. The visitors extended their lead to eight points early in the final quarter. Madrid's performance was sporadic, stringing together good defensive plays from Tavares and offensive contributions from Campazzo and Luwawu-Cabarrot, but they couldn't maintain consistency, giving Unicaja breathing room as they defended their lead with great effort. Pedro Martínez's team worked tirelessly to close the gap.

Madrid's reaction
With the score at 72-80 in the 33rd minute, our team gave it their all to turn things around. With determination and key plays from the French guard, they flipped the scoreboard with a 10-1 run over the next three minutes (84-81). However, finishing the job was no easy task, as Unicaja fought until the end. Noua put his team back in the lead with a minute left on the clock, making it 84-85, but Luwawu-Cabarrot responded with a three-pointer. A stellar defensive play by Campazzo against Brazdeikis led to a free throw by Pradilla on the other end, setting the score at 88-85 with 14 seconds left. During that time, both teams exchanged free throws, with one from Campazzo sealing the win (89-87, min. 40). 

REAL MADRID-UNICAJA STATS

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

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