News
Article
Partizan vs. Real Madrid: Two giants clash on Friday

Partizan vs. Real Madrid: Two giants clash on Friday

Article

4 Mins read

Partizan vs. Real Madrid: Two giants clash on Friday

A classic matchup in European club competitions has returned to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this season, and in Round 32 on Friday, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade hosts Real Madrid in a critical showdown for both teams.

Partizan can qualify for the playoffs with a victory on Friday if either Zalgiris Kaunas or Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz lose. Real Madrid already qualified to the playoffs and clinched the home-court advantage, but is aiming best position possible to make the most out of that advantage against a lower-ranked squad.

Their rivalry goes back to the 1970s. They first met on December 20, 1979, Real downed Partizan 110-83 behind 30 points from Walter Szczerbiak. When they met next in Belgrade, Real prevailed again, 87-100, with 28 points from Wayne Brabender.

Indeed, over almost three decades after that, Real won its first 12 games against Partizan, which had to wait until October 29, 2008 to claim its first victory in the series. Partizan beat Los Blancos 81-77 as Aleksandar Rasic led the way with 18 points. Real will be making its first visit to Belgrade to play Partizan since 2014 and holds an 8-2 record against the hosts in the Serbian capital.

Of course, Real Madrid has fond memories of Stark Arena, the building where its 10th EuroLeague trophy was lifted back in 2018. In that championship game, Real topped Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul 85-80 behind 17 points from Fabien Causeur. Luka Doncic was voted the 2018 Final Four MVP. Current Real players Causeur, Anthony Randolph, Rudy Fernandez, Walter Tavares and Sergio Llull won the 2018 EuroLeague title in Belgrade. Randolph and Llull won't play Friday due to injury, however. Last season, Real played the EuroLeague Championship Game in Belgrade again, but lost by the minimum this time, 59-60 against Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

In the team's first return to Stark Arena since last season's title game, Real will challenge an old friend, Partizan coach Zeljko Obradovic, arguably the biggest legend linked to both clubs. Coach Obradovic led Partizan to the EuroLeague title in 1992 and did the same with Real in 1995, among other highlights. When Real won the title at Stark Arena in 2018, Obradovic was on the other bench, coaching then-defending champion Fenerbahce Istanbul.

As for players, two European basketball legends, Drazen Dalipagic and Sasa Djordjevic, played for Partizan and Real in the past. Since the turn of the millenium, just three players have worn both teams' jerseys in the EuroLeague: Blagota Sekulic, Novica Velickovic and Tristan Vukcevic, who is currently with Partizan. Velickovic was chosen as the 2008-09 EuroLeague Rising Star playing for Partizan and helped Real reach the 2011 Final Four.

Earlier this season, Real had to battle hard to beat Partizan 105-97 in Round 10. Both teams combined for 72 points in the first quarter, 32-40, and Real took off after that. Llull led the winners with 20 points, Tavares added 17 while Mario Hezonja and Gabriel Deck each had 15. Zach LeDay led Partizan with 20 points.

Tonight offers an opportunity to see arguably the two most dominant big men in the competition, Tavares and Mathias Lessort of Partizan, go head-to-head. Of course, there are many other high-profile matchups, along with another sellout crowd at Stark Arena ready to create another second-to-none basketball atmosphere. Expect yet another great game in the Serbian capital from two giants of the global game.