This home game is one of the absolute highlights on the Munich basketball calendar: Real Madrid arrives in the state capital on Thursday, the royal star ensemble around coach Pablo Laso is the next opponent of the German Cup winner in the EuroLeague on Friday evening. Their place in the standings has improved despite the FCBB's still less than ideal personnel situation: After three wins in a row, head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team has made it into the dense midfield of the top flight with a record of 3-4 - the Spaniards (5-2), in contrast to last year's difficulting out the gate they are again listed in front as fourth in the standings and are among the top favorites.
"Real is not only a big name, they also have the best squad in the EuroLeague this year in my opinion"
FCBB-Coach Andrea Trinchieri about the Team from Madrid
The game starts at 20:45. Oldenburg will then visit for the BBL top game at the Audi Dome on Sunday (18:00). The FCBB asks spectators to arrive in good time and to plan for the 3G PLUS checks (digital proof).
Tavares currently the most effective player in the competition
Coach Trinchieri has great respect for the Spanish record champions (35 titles), who have also started very well in the ACB (7-1). "Real is not only a big name, in my opinion they also have the best squad in the EuroLeague this year," judges the 53-year-old Italian. "Because Madrid has 15 players at its disposal who would be part of the starting five in any other team. Against this enormous quality, we almost have to go beyond our limits and not even then do you know if it can be enough to succeed. There is not much time for preparation, because we were still involved in the league this week, unlike Real. But we will do everything and hope for a great atmosphere in the Audi Dome again like against Milan."
Real is the only team Bayern failed to win against during their terrific EuroLeague campaign in 20/21. However, Madrid's only two lossed of the new season came away from home, at resurgent Olympiakos (74-68) and most recently at the end of Double Week in Russia against Kazan (65-58). In fact, the current Spanish Supercup winner (88-83 against FC Barcelona) comes to Munich rested this time: On Sunday, they celebrated a dominant 83-65 road win at EuroLeague rival Baskonia Vítoria in the ACB with last year's FCBB guard Wade Baldwin.
Since the initially injured key players Walter Tavares and veteran Rudy Fernandez are back on board, Coach Laso has even more choices. Center tower "Edy" Tavares (7ft) in particular, arguably the best big man in Europe, has quickly returned to form and was voted "Player of the Month for October" in the ACB.
In the EuroLeague, where the Final Four is mandatory for Los Blancos, the Cape Verdean five-pointer has so far shone as his team's top scorer with 13.8 points (two-point percentage: 79%) plus 7.2 rebounds and almost two blocks per game. He is followed in the statistics by the very athletic French addition Guerschon Yabusele (11.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) - the former Celtics forward transferred from Villeurbanne.
Bayern guard Hilliard fourth best scorer so far
In general, rebounds will again be the key: Real (36.3 rpg) has a clear advantage over Bayern (28.6) thanks to Tavares, Yabusele and Poirier (7rpg).
Yabusele is not even the most spectacular transfer, as all-rounder Adam Hanga was let go by archrival Barça. Yabusele's compatriot Thomas Heurtel also played for Barcelona last season, and the guard is currently averaging nine points and 5.1 assists. The versatile US guard Nigel Williams-Goss (7.6 ppg) was brought in from Olympiakos, but he is probably out due to a finger injury. In addition, they can court players such as Fabien Causeur (7.6 ppg), besides center Vincent Poirier (6 ppg) the fourth Frenchman and the perennial fan favorites Jeffery Taylor, Sergio Llull and Fernandez as well as the other national players like Alberto Abalde (7.3 ppg) and Carlos Alocen - the core, which has grown over many years, is Real's big trump card.
Anthony Randolph is still injured, while Bayern will have to plan longer without Leon Radosevic and Paul Zipser. This has been compensated for by an intelligent and compact team defense and the scoring of Darrun Hilliard (16.9 ppg, number four in the competition), Vladimir Lucic and Corey Walden (13.3 each).