Real Madrid Basketball: Schedule, Results & Upcoming Games | March 2024
Real Madrid faces a challenging stretch to close out March, beginning with a pivotal clash against Barcelona in La Liga this evening. The Madrid squad is seeking to solidify its position atop the league standings, currently holding a comfortable lead with a record of 20-2. However, a recent stumble in the EuroLeague, a narrow defeat to Zalgiris Kaunas, serves as a reminder of the team’s vulnerabilities away from home.
The first encounter between the two Spanish giants this campaign saw Real Madrid emerge victorious in the EuroLeague at Palau, securing a score of 92-101, fueled by a dominant 29-point performance from Lyles. The team continued its EuroLeague success with another triumph at the Movistar Arena, winning 80-61. Their only setback came in a Liga match at home, a close contest decided in the final moments with a score of 100-105.
Despite their strong domestic record, Real Madrid has struggled to replicate that form on the European stage, posting a 5-11 record in the EuroLeague. This inconsistency on the road has been a recurring theme this season, and coach Sergio Scariolo will be keen to address it as the team navigates a demanding schedule.
Following the Clásico, Real Madrid faces a grueling six-day period with three games on the horizon. The team will return to the Movistar Arena for a pair of EuroLeague contests, first hosting Hapoel Tel Aviv and then Anadolu Efes. The month concludes with a road trip to face Bàsquet Girona. Tonight’s match against Barcelona presents an opportunity to secure their 21st victory in 23 Liga games and build momentum heading into this critical stretch.
The upcoming match against Hapoel Tel Aviv is particularly noteworthy, as it will be played behind closed doors due to security concerns. The Delegación del Gobierno of Madrid announced the decision on , citing the high-risk nature of the game and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This follows similar precautions taken during Barcelona’s recent match against Hapoel and will be mirrored by Baskonia in upcoming games against Maccabi and Hapoel. The game, scheduled for at 21:00 hours, will proceed with a reinforced security presence but without public attendance.
Scariolo may opt to utilize the team’s depth during this busy period, potentially giving playing time to players like Chuma Okeke, David Krämer, Izan Almansa, Gabriele Procida, and Alex Len. The coach alluded to the possibility of rotating the lineup to manage fatigue and prepare for the upcoming EuroLeague challenges, having already expressed a desire to leverage the team’s current four-game lead in the Liga standings.
The Barcelona game marks a chance for Real Madrid to avenge their earlier defeat in the Liga, a match that ended Barcelona’s impressive 37-game winning streak at the Movistar Arena. The absence of key players like Nico Laprovittola for Barcelona adds another layer to the dynamic, but Real Madrid will still face a formidable opponent in a hostile environment.
Looking back, Scariolo’s last Liga victory at Palau dates back to , a memorable final game of the season remembered as ‘The Liga of Sasha Djordjevic.’ The current matchup presents an opportunity to break that long-standing drought and further cement Real Madrid’s dominance in the league.
The team’s recent EuroLeague calendar reveals a demanding schedule. They began their 2024/25 campaign with an away game against Bayern Munich on and will conclude the Regular Season with a trip to Partizan on . The first Clásico of the season is slated for at Palau, with the return fixture at the WiZink Center on .