Barcelona and Real Madrid clashed for the first time this season, following nine matchups in the previous competitive year. In the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup, the team from the Spanish capital emerged victorious with a score of 90-80.
The first of these encounters took place last season at the Super Cup, and back then, the Madrid team emerged victorious in the battle for the trophy after overtime. This time around, an identical outcome was witnessed, albeit without the additional five minutes of play.
First half
The opening quarter offered a real nail-biter with several lead changes. Neither team managed to establish a significant advantage. Nicolas Laprovittola stood out, scoring an impressive 16 points in just ten minutes of play. With the score at 25:19, Sergio Rodriguez sealed the first quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, making it 25:22.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Roger Grimau and his team gained a seven-point lead, but then they went completely cold for a few minutes. Real Madrid capitalized on this with a 9:0 run, taking the lead. They held onto it until the end of the first half, and the scoreboard during the break showed 42:40 in favor of the team from the Spanish capital.
Second Half
The third quarter continued the drama, with Barcelona staying in the game thanks to their three-point shooting. On the other hand, Dzanan Musa led Real Madrid with an impressive ten-point burst in a very short period of time. He was soon joined by the more lively Facundo Campazzo, who not only scored but also set up his teammates. As they approached the decisive quarter, Real Madrid held a 67:60 lead.
For the first time in the game, Real Madrid established a double-digit lead early in the final quarter, thanks to Musa’s contributions (73:61). When the Bosnian hit two consecutive three-pointers, Real Madrid had a 15-point advantage. It was clear at that point who would secure the victory and advance to the final.
The top scorer in the winning team was Dzanan Musa, contributing with 24 points, while Facundo Campazzo tallied 17 points along with four assists. Gabriel Deck scored 14 points, and Walter Tavares recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. On the other side, the only player in form was Nicolas Laprovittola, putting up 27 points.
In the second semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup, Murcia and Unicaja will face off. After their match, we will know which team will compete for the first trophy of the season in Sunday’s final.
BARCELONA – REAL MADRID 80:90 (25:22, 15:20, 19:25, 21:23)
Arena: “Palacio de Deportes de Murcia”, Murcia
Refferes: Jimenez, Sanchez, Serrano
Barcelona: Da Silva 5, Vesely 8, Kalinić 7, Satoransky 14, Laprovittola 27, Brizuela, Hernangomez 2, Abrines 8, Parker 3, Nnaji, Jokubaitis 2, Parra 3
Real Madrid: Abalde 2, Campazzo 17, Deck 14, Poirier 7, Musa 24, Causeur, Fernandez 7, Hezonja, Rodriguez 3, Tavares 13p 11s, Llull 2, Yabusele 1