The most important week of the EuroLeague season is upon us, in Madrid. Real and Olimpia have the same number of wins, 16, and are part of the group of teams fighting to get direct access to the playoffs and to avoid the immediate elimination with the play-in tournament in the middle as a precious consolation prize. This is one of the all-important clashes left, but there are many more. Olimpia will have another one next Thursday at the Unipol Forum against Barcelona. Olimpia won the first leg against both Spanish powerhouses, which makes the opportunity even greater and increases the pressure on the opponents. But these are details. “There is no need to add much: we are playing in Madrid, against Real,” said Coach Ettore Messina after the beautiful win over Trento in the Italian league that is paired with Real Madrid’s triumph in Malaga, 107-105. Olimpia does not have a great tradition in Madrid, where it has won in this competition only once. Real Madrid has experienced a come-from-behind season, with ups and downs, some injuries, the addition of two players, one – Dennis Smith – has already left the team, the other – Bruno Fernando – has strengthened a front line built around the great Tavares. Olimpia won the game in Milan by nine points: this is also a fact that could prove important. Olimpia left Milan in the morning and practices in Madrid in the afternoon. The only player unavailable due to injury is Josh Nebo.

Tip off time in Madrid on Tuesday is 20:45.

THE REFEREES – Emin Mogulkoc (Turkey), Piotr Pastusiak (Poland), Ivan Dragojevic (Montenegro).

COACH ETTORE MESSINA – “Real Madrid is going through a very positive period right now. Their most experienced players, as it is customary for great ones, are raising their performance level. Obviously, Tavares presence in the middle will affect the game, at borh ends of the floor. To face him in the best way, we will have to use our skills with confidence and correctly.”

Nikola Mirotic trying to use his speed against Tavares

REAL MADRID OUTLOOK – Real Madrid won three of its last four games climbing back up in the standings, despite failed addition of guard Dennis Smith who left the team after just two games. However, the newcomer center Bruno Fernando made even more impressive a powerful front line with only players with NBA experience, and a very relevant one in the case of Serge Ibaka. Normally, the starting line-up is formed by Campazzo, Abalde, Musa, Ndiaye e Tavares. In the last game, however, Ndiaye was out, and Coach Chus Mateo used Usman Garuba as his starting power forward. Personnel choices and playing time can be adjusted game by game. The point guards are Facundo Campazzo (12.6 points and 6.5 assists per game, shooting 57.1 percent on twos), the Dominican Andres Feliz (who is averaging 3.8 points and 1.7 assists) and of course the great Sergio Llull (6.5 points a game on average) and at 38 cannot be consistent as he used to be but he is still capable to play at a very high level from time to time. The off guards are Alberto Abalde (5.9 points on 42.9 percent three-point shooting) and Xavier Rathan-Mayes (5.8 points per game on 36.8 percent from three) but in truth Real Madrid often mixes and matches the players to get small or big over the course of any game. So, we have to include among the perimeter players both Mario Hezonja (14.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, 60.7 percent on twos) and Dzanan Musa (12.4 points per game on 38.4 percent on threes). The premier power forward, who is capable to move to the small forward slot sometimes, is the Argentinian Gabriel Deck, who is just returned from an injury that forced him to play only 19 games so far, averaging 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, on 64.6 percent two-point shooting. Beyond the explosive and young Eli Ndiaye (3.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game), at the power forward spot, Coach Mateo can play Usman Garuba (3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, 70.6 percent from two) e Serge Ibaka (6.1 points and 2.9 per game, 67.2 percent on twos). Bruno Fernando (6.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game) came to Madrid to complete the front-line where the main man is obviously Edy Tavares, who is averaging 9.9 points per game but shooting 74.5 percent on twos, grabs 7.0 rebounds per night, with 2.6 of them under the offensive board, and finally averages 1.4 blocks per game. In Real Madrid, everything is built around him, offense and mostly defense.

Leandro Bolmaro and Serge Ibaka played together in Munich during the last season

THE REAL MADRID CONNECTION – Ettore Messina has coached Real Madrid for almost two seasons, with a 23-13 EuroLeague record. Among his players, he had Sergio Llull and Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic has played for Real Madrid for four EuroLeague seasons. He scored 1.084 points over 97 appearances. Fabien Causeur has had a 7-year stay in Madrid, winning the EuroLeague championship twice, and scoring 1.333 points over 213 games played.

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