Real Madrid: 2023-24 games to watch

For Real Madrid, last season couldn’t have gone much better. En route to becoming the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion for an 11th time, which came in Chus Mateo's first year as head coach, the team showed the Real Madrid DNA that has often been associated with the club's soccer team in recent years. Time and time again, particularly in the playoffs, Los Blancos defied the odds by returning from the dead to grab a big victory. Heading into Year Two under Coach Mateo, the goal will be what it always is at Real: to lift the EuroLeague title once again.

Real Madrid's full regular-season schedule

The first Clásico of the season

Round 5: Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona

As is the case for fans on both sides of the Clásico divide, one of the first fixtures that Real supporters seek out is the team's first matchup with archrival FC Barcelona. Last season, Los Blancos lost 75-73 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 2 before winning 91-86 in overtime in Round 21 at WiZink Center. Then, at the Final Four, Real advanced to the championship game after downing Barca 66-78 in the semifinals. While Real has been able to add Facu Campazzo to a championship-winning roster, without having lost any of its main pieces, this is a very different-looking Barca that will come to Madrid in Round 5, which should make for a very fascinating contest.

Pablo Laso returns home

Round 14: Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern Munich

Pablo Laso spent 11 years as Real head coach, winning two EuroLeague titles (2015, 2018) and reaching five championship games, as well as seven Final Fours out of a possible 10. In his first post since departing Los Blancos in the summer of 2022, Laso returns to his former home, WiZink Center, with his new FC Bayern Munich side. The Spanish tactician has been tasked with trying to turn Bayern into a EuroLeague force, and his new-look group will look to upset Real in this Round 14 clash. Laso will not only come up against some of his former players but also his former assistant, Chus Mateo, who has been Real's head coach since last season. Coach Laso should get a good reception from the crowd, but will he have the last laugh?

Two Final Four contenders lock horns

Round 22: AS Monaco vs. Real Madrid

Whenever Real and Monaco come head-to-head, fireworks tend to follow. The French side grabbed its first win over the Spanish giant last season, winning 94-95 in overtime at WiZink Center after some heroics by Mike James in the final stages, but Real still leads the all-time series 3-1 after Mario Hezonja exploded for 30 points in a 91-95 Round 23 triumph last year. Nevertheless, to this point it has always been an incredibly close battle whenever the two teams have played each other, with the largest margin of victory being eight points. Both Real and Monaco made it to the 2023 Final Four, and they once again have aims of repeating that feat. A couple of big-name signings will play in this fixture next season, too, following Monaco's signing of Kemba Walker and Real's move for Campazzo.

Going into the dragon's den

Round 31: Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Real Madrid

In Real's penultimate road fixture of the regular season, the reigning EuroLeague champion heads to Serbia to take on Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. The two sides faced off in a memorable playoff series last season – for both the right and wrong reasons – and there will surely be an extra degree or two added to the atmosphere at Stark Arena when Los Blancos take to the floor. What's more, with there being just three regular-season games remaining after this contest, the result of this fixture could go some way towards helping better paint the playoff picture. Make no mistake, though, Partizan will be hoping to get one over Real after last season's playoff heartbreak.