"Raimundo Saporta was a genius and instilled in you the spirit of Real Madrid"

The press room at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium hosted a new edition of the Luis de Carlos Forum, organized by the Real Madrid Foundation, which this time paid tribute to the figure of Raimundo Saporta. The event served to recognize one of the great promoters of Spanish and European basketball, whose vision and management skills were crucial for the growth of the Real Madrid basketball section and the evolution of the sport at a national and international level.

Considered one of the most influential personalities in basketball history, Raimundo Saporta played a fundamental role in building some of Real Madrid's greatest successes. To remember his legacy, the Forum gathered four madridista basketball legends: Juan Antonio Corbalán, Lolo Sainz, Cristóbal Rodríguez, and Fernando Romay. The event was moderated by Realmadrid TV journalist Antonio Esteva.

Throughout the event, the participants shared memories, experiences, and reflections on Saporta’s human and sporting dimension, as well as his influence on the history of Real Madrid and Spanish basketball.

Juan Antonio Corbalán, a Real Madrid player from 1970 to 1988, remembered Raimundo Saporta: "For us, he was a fundamental person. He was very close to the players and their families. He carried on Santiago Bernabéu's legacy and had a significant impact on Spanish sports in general. His great ability was being able to be anywhere and anytime. He was good for everyone and, above all, for Real Madrid."

Lolo Sainz, a Real Madrid player from 1960 to 1968 and later the team’s coach for 14 seasons, highlighted: "He was a man ahead of his time. He was disciplined, rigorous, kind, and instilled in you the spirit of Real Madrid. He was a genius when it came to basketball and built an excellent team of managers around him. He wanted the team to be a family and always told us that we had to be humble and fight every day. Together with Bernabéu, they made us play like winners. He was like a father to me in basketball terms."

Cristóbal Rodríguez, a Real Madrid player from 1965 to 1979, stated: "Saporta ensured that basketball gained prominence at the club by working hard and knowing that we had to be at the top or be champions. He did everything possible to make us competitive. He was a winner and instilled that in us. He gave advice to the young players when we joined the team about how we should behave. We want to thank everyone for this great tribute."

Fernando Romay, a Real Madrid player from 1976 to 1993, explained what Saporta meant to him: "He was everything to us. I loved his clarity of thought. He had tremendous respect and education and became an example for all of us. He adapted to any circumstance and would love to see how the club and the Ciudad Deportiva are today. If Real Madrid’s philosophy was Santiago Bernabéu, Raimundo was the book where we all read the philosophy of Madrid."

The legacy of Raimundo Saporta
The discussion revisited some of the milestones that marked Raimundo Saporta’s career. The speakers agreed on highlighting his ability to anticipate the times, his commitment to the growth of basketball, and his decisive contribution to consolidating Real Madrid as one of the great international references in this sport.

 

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