BallinEurope is previewing all 18 Euroleague Basketball teams ahead of the start of the season. Today it’s the turn of a Real Madrid side with lots of changes for Chus Mateo to deal with.
Chus Mateo won’t find too much sympathy across Euroleague Basketball. While Real Madrid have lost some big pieces, Los Blancos remain a force to be reckoned with in the competition.
Last season
Euroleague record: 27-7
Regular season position: 1st
Playoffs: Lost championship game (Panathinaikos)
ACB record: 28-6
Regular season position: 2nd
Playoffs: Won finals vs UCAM Murcia (3-0)
Other: Won Copa del Rey (FC Barcelona)
Who’s gone?
Guerschon Yabusele (Philadelphia 76ers), Fabien Causeur (Olimpia Milano), Carlos Alcocen (Gran Canaria), Vincent Poirier (Anadolu Efes), Egor Demin (BYU, NCAA), Rudy Fernandez (retirement), Sergio Rodriguez (retirement).
Who is new?
Serge Ibaka (FC Bayern), Usman Garuba (Golden State Warriors), Andres Feliz (Joventut Badalona), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Enisey).
Who stayed?
Facundo Campazzo, Dzanan Musa, Sergio Llull, Mario Hezonja, Walter Tavares, Alberto Abalde, Gabriel Deck, Hugo Gonzalez, Eli Ndiaye
BallinEurope is ramping up its YouTube game this season. Subscribe to our channel now for player exclusives, analysis videos, and much more.
Need to know
It’s entirely plausible that Real Madrid still has more business to do before the season starts. Even if Los Blancos don’t, there are few teams in Euroleague Basketball as capable of absorbing the personnel losses they have dealt with this offseason. Chus Mateo retains an absolutely loaded line-up. It may not quite be the one that won everything two years ago and lost last season’s final. It’s still more than good enough to contend for another championship.
What the bookies think
The sportsbooks are, as expected, quite confident in Real Madrid. Los Blancos are priced as short as 7/2 on some books. That would make them co-favourites in Euroleague Basketball betting. As it stands however, the consensus has Chus Mateo’s side at 5/1. That’s good enough for third favourites.
BallinEurope has a book, a real life actual book called I Like it Loud, and you can buy it on Amazon now. It’s here as a book and here in Kindle form.
What we think
This is a really good basketball team. I know, you’re shocked that the team with the most Euroleague Basketball titles of all time is good. Chus Mateo is going to be giving more of his younger guys heavier minutes this year. Even still, those younger guys are veterans like Usman Garuba (22) and Dzanan Musa (25). We’re hardly talking about untested rookies here.
Fearless prediction
Real Madrid will lose more games in the regular season than last year. That’s hardly a shock. Los Blancos utterly dominated the front half of last year’s campaign. Chus Mateo will need more time to gel. Still, they’ll make the playoffs comfortably and will contend for home court advantage.
Pick: 4th in the regular season
