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Real Madrid's new 'old guard' begins with Facu Campazzo

Real Madrid's new 'old guard' begins with Facu Campazzo

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4 Mins read

Frankie Sachs

Facundo Campazzo celebrates with Sergio Llull (right), Walter Tavares (center) and Fabien Causeur (left) during his first stint at Real Madrid.

After Real Madrid captured the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague crown last season, much was said and written about Los Blancos' old guard. The likes of Sergio Llull, Sergio Rodriguez, Rudy Fernandez and Fabien Causeur all played key roles in the march to the championship. And while that quartet will be back this season, their influence will only diminish with time.

The signing of Facu Campazzo, who begins his third stint with the club, offers Real Madrid someone to serve as the face of the new “old guard". At the age of 32, Campazzo brings everything needed to step into a leadership position in the Spanish capital.

Campazzo has a wealth of EuroLeague experience, which includes five seasons and two EuroLeague championships with Real. Last season, he learned what it meant to be a team's go-to player when he joined Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade mid-season and tried to lead it to a playoff berth. Campazzo also felt what it meant to be at the heart of controversy when sanctions imposed on Zvezda forced him to sit on the sidelines until Round 26. Before that, Campazzo played two and a half seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks.

"I feel good physically. I consider myself to be a better player since I left and now I have to show it on a day-to-day basis," Campazzo told Real Madrid's official media earlier this week. "You have to work hard, keep trying to achieve your goals, fight for titles, be part of this team that always tries to achieve everything."

In a nutshell, that comment shows what Real Madrid is getting in Campazzo this time around. His tough on-ball defense, crafty playmaking, speed in transition, creative finishing and clutch shot-making have been Campazzo's calling card throughout his career. The road he has traveled since leaving Real in November 2020 has seen him grow as a player and a leader, on and off the court, too.

After playing all over the world, the native of Argentina is at home in Madrid.

"It means a lot to both me and my family to return to what I feel is my home. I always had good times here. They gave me the opportunity to show me the player that I am and I will always be grateful," Campazzo said.

"People with whom I am in contact with since I left until this day, such as the president, the management, friends, players, staff, people from the club… I have kept in touch with many people. The relationships that I have left here, friends and colleagues, are the ones that I missed the most and that has also pushed me to return. My family loves Madrid, the team, my daughter was born here and the comfort of the family was very important to be calm and they are happy."

All of that helps explain why Campazzo penned a four-year deal, meaning at the end of it he will be similar in age to Real's current old guard. For now, he arrives to stand front and center alongside current stars Walter Tavares, Dzanan Musa, Mario Hezonja and countryman Gabriel Deck, who is also committed to the club on a long-term contract, as Real seeks to defend its EuroLeague title.

"Whenever you talk about Madrid, you talk about titles and with each opportunity for a title, you have to try to achieve it. We are going to work every day throughout the season to win each title that comes our way, we are going to try to give everything in each game so that we can fight for the important things again and we are going to give everything for that goal," Campazzo summed up.

And perhaps in 2027, when Campazzo’s deal is nearing its end, he and Deck will be part of Real's next old guard who brings the magic for the next generation that Llull, Chacho, Causier and Rudy have for theirs.