Joventut-Real Madrid: the semi-final heads to Badalona

The League semi-final playoff between Real Madrid and Joventut heads to Badalona for the third and fourth games. With the tie at 1-1, Chus Mateo's team will try to take the lead today and regain home-court advantage. A difficult challenge awaits them against an opponent that has competed at a high level at the WiZink Center.

Chus Mateo made it clear in the press conference after the second game, which Madrid won 90-73: "We have to keep up the competitive pace from the second half.” It was the team's best performance so far in the tie, finding a great balance between attack and defence, for a decisive 21-plus percentage. That is the way forward if we want to be in the final. Two wins remain. The same as Joventut, who achieved their goal of getting a win in Madrid.

In the second game, Madrid scored 90 points with only 7 three-pointers. That means that the inside game is being decisive, with two clear leading figures: Tavares, who averages 14.5 points (11/12 in two-point shots), 13 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 32 index rating; and Yabusele, who put in his best performance in our jersey with 37 index rating and averages 24 in the series. La Penya has a great offensive potential, enjoying significant scoring spurts. Defending Guy, who we held to 5 points on Thursday after his display in the first game, will again be very important. But Durán's team have other very decisive players such as Tomic, Feliz, Parra and Ellenson.

To continue the winning streak at the Olimpic
Our team have recovered Poirier, an essential piece in Chus Mateo's scheme. More rotation for the inside game and to try to storm the Olímpico de Badalona again, as we did on 23 April on matchday 29 when we won 86-76. A court where we have won in the last eleven visits. This afternoon, let's extend the streak and get ahead in the semi-finals.