The defending champion is head and shoulders above the rest of the field after yet another emphatic win.
Real in a league of its own after taking Maccabi to the cleaners
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 6 of 34
Group Regular Season
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Real Madrid made a statement of intent with an impressive 70-99 whitewash of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in their Round 6 clash of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. The result stretched the reigning champ’s perfect start to 10-0 and kept Real firmly in the driving seat of the 18-team competition.
Maccabi, which hosted the clash postponed earlier this month in Belgrade, dropped to 5-5 after a lackluster performance with Josh Nebo the team’s only player to score double digits, as he posted 14 points and 9 rebounds in a one-sided contest.
Real, in contrast, thrived on a flowing team effort which saw towering center Walter Tavares lead the charge with 19 points and 8 rebounds, having scored 15 points in the first quarter. Four of his teammates scored in double digits and Real racked up a staggering 29 team assists, highlighting the team’s superior quality over Maccabi and the rest of the EuroLeague pack.
However, head coach Chus Mateo refused to bask in glory and could not stress enough how vital it was for his players to keep their feet firmly on the ground.
“We may be the best team at the moment, but we need to keep working, stay humble and be aware that there is a very long way to go,” Mateo said after the game. “We must never think we are the best and we have to keep working, otherwise anybody can beat you.”
Mateo’s no-nonsense approach was everywhere to be seen, from start to finish, as Real picked apart one of the competition’s most heralded outfits, albeit in an empty gym with the game played behind closed doors. Real dominated throughout, hitting top gear after Maccabi had briefly threatened to turn the tide, slashing the deficit to 54-60 midway through the third quarter.
Game Videos
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Real Madrid-Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 4 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/dd9ce83d-4ce3-4854-9001-c44c714ff981.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A96%3A72]()
Hezonja monster block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:25
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9c9b78e2-52c1-4ce9-aacc-57c92a5f0125.jpg?crop=799%3A450%3Anowe%3A129%3A41]()
Fernando rocks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:24
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/35948bfa-18f4-4960-b3f2-cc4ad69e357c.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A123%3A91]()
Fernando dunks in transition! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/29/jrxu3yqs5U7ydRRjtu3EbgIbMwcCZcoz-1745961717234.jpg]()
Dzanan Musa: 'We have the formula of how we want to play'
- 00:52
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/29/mO45yHFUPbCMMz3R350CVs7LLHmGDW8T-1745961668102.jpg]()
Walter Tavares: 'The playoffs are about defense, not offense'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/6c0ed04a-20cd-4422-a45b-fea872646363.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:18
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/29/McK1KJFeR8gJEuYRchFQUc5Ns0L2IGFK-1745961927553.jpg]()
Ibaka rejects McKissic! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/e5f275e4-956d-49ff-856d-8257cd8c9822.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Real Madrid | PO Game 2 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/223b392e-8a5d-4f1b-ae25-0b62450fbcbb.jpg?crop=1326%3A746%3Anowe%3A12%3A58]()
Deck ends first quarter in style! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/65dc624a-c107-4a2f-a63e-3660148417f3.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Real Madrid | PO Game-1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:36
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Mario Hezonja: 'We can do great things'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/M027YYk1y4Q/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Real Madrid-FC Bayern Munich | Play-In Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Campazzo’s creative magic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Real teamwork from Madrid! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/3lanP-cIS84/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Walter Tavares, March-April MVP: ‘It’s hard these days to be a big man’
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Real Madrid-Paris Basketball | Play-In Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:13
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Tavares dunks in transition! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:52
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Walter Tavares: 'This is a gift from God'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/1dbd7a2b-309d-4eb2-aeb4-f385a10ecef6.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Real Madrid | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5918722c-7382-462a-a0fa-aa3394e822aa.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:46
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Tavares wins it with his soft touch! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/304bcd8f-a953-4947-9d15-1d7ac447a299.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A39%3A78]()
Hezonja rocks the rim with aplomb! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
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A huge dunk by Tavares! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:32
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/03/RD8fDyHU6pUyP2CV8w6v7b0eaphx61MW-1743718070483.jpg]()
Mario Hezonja: 'Every time there is a challenge, we respond'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/96115336-839e-4057-bd83-5b13036c68a7.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Paris Basketball | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:39
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Levi Randolph: 'This shows the character of our team'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c4b532fc-d7f1-4e2a-9411-35bee2136916.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/03/T61Q8zliJp48YkwM4WNSB86p9yKzh0km-1743714624899.jpg]()
Hezonja's reverse dunk! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/22e05e0a-3501-437f-a927-72aa26084767.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A141%3A94]()
Ibaka's double block! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c2eb8757-5c14-4166-8495-23fb6c979f50.jpg]()
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Real Madrid | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d609197f-c83a-4032-ac31-e10863a4c457.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
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Hezonja with an almighty dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef5799c3-50b4-4c70-b294-33bf62ebb034.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4fe086ef-7ba3-4997-9f3f-9ffeeb4b986c.jpg]()
Real Madrid-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
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Hezonja with the reverse slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:35
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/09d9fca8-66ad-49ea-bdaf-4f58e92ff5b1.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A69%3A46]()
Llull does what he does best! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/39b1d893-3fad-40e3-b7dc-c0db803bf657.jpg?crop=1350%3A759%3Anowe%3A0%3A53]()
Facu magic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:05
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/20/pISjQE4I5M02AicdRm3FmrO7bqom79Iw-1742510739435.jpg]()
Walter Tavares: 'Real Madrid means winning'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6c4c9660-fe1a-4930-84fd-656361d00636.jpg]()
Real Madrid-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:18
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/20/I0InDLESANSOQCTKX6xT5kJX1FrsbBvh-1742506746633.jpg]()
Rokas Jokubaitis: 'We play for pride and are doing an amazing job'
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/20/dZBFw1OKxDzeH9kbiBLIkxJVTgyfW1tP-1742507086360.jpg]()
Gonzalez's big block! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2c426c46-4a59-4d27-92e2-3af7d1149ca7.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c814fa21-840c-4d54-bf2d-5cfeae046463.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A198%3A28]()
Llull hits the mandarina! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/bda621c7-25cc-4c27-8184-ef3296b1e99f.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A68%3A83]()
Jimmy Clark we have take-off! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/tHqpRVU6VVs/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EuroLeague 25 Moments: Maccabi and its magical run to the 2014 title
- 01:10
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/13/OJmulXvfdijhtEqTVqDrGuN6SF4hLya0-1741904766549.jpg]()
Facundo Campazzo: 'It's a perfect week for Real Madrid'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/521d92bc-4763-4260-b58c-1ed01a58a3c4.jpg]()
Viritus Segafredo Bologna-Real Madrid | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:24
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Trevion Williams: 'We just want to keep our foot on the gas'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9e0b1340-2909-42b9-86d4-dccc40a67987.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-AS Monaco | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
“To have a chance of winning against Real, you have to be focused for 40 minutes and we just weren’t there,” said Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash. “We weren’t aggressive enough defensively. We had a run in the third quarter but then they hit some tough shots. We have to be honest and say they controlled the game and we’ll learn from it.”
Tavares acknowledged Real had no time to rest on laurels, with a tough visit to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul beckoning on Thursday. He also pointed out there was a bigger picture which Real’s players always keep in mind in order to avoid getting carried away.
“It’s great for us to keep winning but we know that our first goal is to get to the playoffs and the Final Four,” said the big man from Cape Verde. “We have to recover quickly because we know it’s going to be a hard game against Fenerbahce, one of the best teams in the EuroLeague. We have to stay focused and mentally prepared.”
If Real’s performance against Maccabi is anything to go by, Fenerbahce faces a tough task to snap its four-game skid which saw the 2017 EuroLeague champion drop to 5-5 after a bright start in the continent’s premier club competition.