By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
The second Clasico of the 2025/26 EuroLeague season was, simply put, one-sided, as Real Madrid cruised past Barcelona in Round 22.
The Blancos dominated from the get-go, stayed in control for the majority of the match, and recorded a well-deserved victory, sweeping their biggest rivals 2-0 in head-to-head EuroLeague matchups.
“We controlled the rebounds, and that seems to be the key in this kind of matchup. We did a great job against their main scorers and first options. From those stops and rebounds, we were able to run and control the game,” Scariolo said after the game.
The X factor in Real Madrid’s victory was Usman Garuba, who scored 16 points on just one missed shot from the field. He also proved crucial in decisive moments, notching seven straight points to open the fourth quarter and helping his side build an unassailable lead over the Catalans.
How big his performance was can be seen from the fact that before the Clasico at Movistar Arena, he averaged just 3.8 points per game in the EuroLeague this season.
“Garuba has been playing well since we clarified roles. He gives us a different way of playing, especially defensively. He allows us to guard the pick-and-roll differently than Edy [Tavares]. He’s in a good place, and hopefully he keeps improving,” Scariolo praised his big man.
However, the former NBA player stayed firmly grounded in the aftermath, insisting on keeping his head down and continuing to push in another highly competitive EuroLeague season.
“It was a really tough game against a really good team. We’re fighting to keep climbing in the standings, and this was a great win for us. There are a lot of teams competing for home-court advantage, and we have to keep building,” Garuba concluded.