The backcourt carried the scoring load in a 100–95 victory
Monaco closes out 2025 with win over Real Madrid
Game Report
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 18 of 38
Regular Season
AS MonacoASM
10095
Real MadridRMB
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It’s been quite a year for AS Monaco. After reaching its first EuroLeague Championship Game last May, Vassilis Spanoulis’s squad is determined to take the final step this season – and Friday night’s 100-95 win over Real Madrid served as a strong statement.
Despite hitting triple digits for the fourth time in its past five home games, Monaco left the floor feeling it still had another gear to reach. Spanoulis agreed. His team totaled just 17 assists – its fourth-lowest mark of the season – and surrendered 95 points, the third-most it has allowed in this campaign.
“We can play better defense, but they made some crazy shots,” Spanoulis told EuroLeague TV. “We could share the ball better, but overall I’m satisfied. Congratulations to my players.”
Notably, Monaco won this one through effort and grit. Walter Tavares looked poised to dominate the paint early, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds – 5 offensive – in the first quarter alone. But Monaco responded on the glass, pulling down a season-high 17 offensive rebounds, led by Alpha Diallo’s 5 and 2 apiece from Kevarrius Hayes, Jaron Blossomgame and Mike James.
Monaco finished with 40 rebounds overall, tied for its second-highest total of the season. Curiously, it marked just the third time Monaco has reached that number this year – and the second game in a row, after collecting a season-best 41 rebounds in a 103-77 win over FC Bayern Munich.
“Against Real Madrid, [despite] their size, we controlled the rebounds,” Spanoulis said. “We had 17 offensive rebounds. We were there. We had effort.”
That effort didn’t come at the expense of offense. Elie Okobo was a steady threat with 22 points, while James scored 15 despite playing a less ball-dominant role than usual. Matthew Strazel and Nemanja Nedovic added 12 points apiece. Monaco’s four guards combined for 61 points, production any EuroLeague team would welcome from its backcourt.
“It was an amazing game,” Okobo said in his post-game comments. “Right after Christmas, being able to celebrate in front of our fans with a very important win against Madrid, that was special. Everybody was involved, everybody played with energy, and we got the W. That’s what matters most.”
Before a brief stumble that included back-to-back losses to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Monaco’s offense had been humming. What should please Spanoulis most is that his team continues to score in bunches, even when execution isn’t perfect.
Still, the finish was tense. Leading 95-81 with 1:50 remaining, Monaco watched as Real Madrid guard Facundo Campazzo erupted for 14 points in a frantic 91-second stretch, pulling Los Blancos within four at 99-95 with eight seconds left. It was too little, too late, but it followed another warning sign after the teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 70.
Monaco steadied itself behind Nikola Mirotic, who knocked down back-to-back three-pointers midway through the fourth and finished with 10 points. The performance also carried historical weight, as Mirotic passed Sergio Llull into fourth place on the EuroLeague’s all-time scoring list with 4,267 career points.
“We wanted to finish strong at home in the last game of 2025 here,” Strazel said. “I think we did a good job. We stayed locked in for 40 minutes and found a way to get the win. I’m proud of us.”
As Monaco looks ahead, it hopes 2026 will be the year it finally lifts the EuroLeague trophy – something James and Mirotic are still chasing. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but performances like this show Monaco can win in multiple ways, a reality that should put the rest of the EuroLeague on notice.
