Real Madrid vs. Valencia Basket, fierce battle for leadership in the Endesa League

Valencia Basket will face Real Madrid (Sunday, 7pm) in one of the toughest games of the season in the Endesa League, just a few days after their tough European encounter in Istanbul. Talogna’s team arrived directly from Turkey, where they lost to Fenerbahce in a physically intense match. And now they face a rival who is experiencing a moment of confidence after defeating Barça in the Classic.

Real Madrid entered the game even stronger after their victory against Barça, but the game turned around dramatically after the break thanks to some outstanding defensive work.

The Madrid team knows that matches of this kind are decisive in the battle for supremacy, and that the home court factor will once again be a strong argument. It’s no wonder Movistar Arena has become a particularly reliable venue for the Endesa League in recent seasons. Pedro Martínez’s side are looking to break through complicated historical dynamics as this is the most difficult area for Madrid to win in the ACB competition. In fact, Valencia Basketball hasn’t won on this court since the 2021-22 season.

One piece of positive news for Valencia’s team is the presence of Nate Reuvers. The American interior, who was the only doubt before the match against Fenerbahce, ended up playing 25 minutes in Istanbul, showing good physicality and scoring 17 points in one of his best games of the season. His contribution will once again be decisive against Walter Tavares, who is in great form and is the white team’s most valuable player.

As for Real Madrid, there was no news in the medical room, and coach Sergio Scariolo will have high hopes for all his players ahead of the game, which will see control of the domestic competition at stake. The winner of the match will take the lead heading into the final day of the first round. Furthermore, results are also important for both sides heading into the Copa del Rey. Talonja is aiming to secure seeding for the KO tournament. In that sense, being ranked first at the end of the first round means playing the quarterfinals on Thursday and having one day off for the virtual semifinals.