Alberto Abalde: A very important stretch of the EuroLeague season
Madrid’s reaction after the Copa del Rey disappointment
After Round 29’s EuroLeague win over Bayern, Real Madrid looked a lot more like themselves. The mood around the club had been tense following the Copa del Rey final loss, and a small group of fans showed their frustration by booing coach Sergio Scariolo before tip-off. Alberto Abalde said he accepted responsibility for the setback and respected fans’ expressions of disappointment — he wanted the players to feel supported rather than burdened by the reaction to the defeat.
On the court, Madrid played confidently from the start. Mario Hezonja led the offense and several players stepped up to help rebuild momentum and confidence. Trey Lyles, in particular, won back some of the crowd’s approval after a rough outing in the cup. The second half lost some intensity as the scoreboard slid heavily in Madrid’s favor, but the team got the result it needed.
Looking ahead: motivation, rotations and the international window
Abalde called the win timely: the club is entering a crucial phase of the EuroLeague where every result matters for positioning. Some players will head off to national team duty while others remain to recover and train, so the next few weeks will be about maintaining form and managing minutes. Abalde confirmed the sense of extra motivation in the locker room after the cup defeat and said the team wanted to put together a complete performance to reassure fans and themselves.
Coaching staff are also mindful of travel and workload — long trips for international games will affect rotations, and players like Facundo Campazzo will face extensive travel with their national teams. For now, Madrid has a short break before preparing for their next important match against Virtus Bologna, and the focus is on staying sharp while managing the upcoming schedule.
Off the floor, the atmosphere around the club is a mix of realism and belief: there are tough moments coming, but the squad showed in this game that it can respond when needed.
