Por Javier Molero/ jmolero@eurohoops.net
Sergio Scariolo is beginning a new phase in his career. Leaving the national team’s bench, and with four Eurobasket titles and a World Cup, among other awards under his belt, the Italian coach returns to Real Madrid 26 years later. Much has changed since Sergio arrived in the Spanish capital in 1999 and, after three years (2002), left with a Cup (1999) and a League title (2000).
Decades later, he’s replacing Chus Mateo, who will take over for the national team. During Real Madrid‘s EuroLeague Media Day, the coach sat down with Eurohoops to talk about his excitement about returning, the new signings, the “language” he has with the new managerial duo of Marynas Pocius and ‘Chacho’ Rodriguez, and what he’s been looking for from day one with the Whites.
“It’s a very powerful emotion,” he said about his return. “There has been a dramatic structural change at the club since then, with Florentino’s (Perez) vision, which has then been implemented by great professionals in all areas, in all departments of the club, including, of course, the basketball section.” He commented on the differences he has encountered between his first days in 2025 and his arrival in 1999.
“Also with a vision of the future that always aims for excellence, but which, in the midst of change and positive uncertainty, with something that is being prepared and important years to come, takes on special meaning,” he hinted about what is to come for Real Madrid.
He’s worked in dozens of different environments, with both good and bad results, and that gives him an edge on the bench. “Personally, I’ve obviously had many experiences over the years. Most of them are very nice, but also some tough ones. You learn from everything, you accumulate experiences, you live through different situations, and you acquire the ability to recognize situations that arise because you’ve experienced similar ones in the past. With this, you mature as a person and as a professional,” Scariolo clarified to Eurohoops.
Roster revolution
Scariolo will have a truly revamped roster at his disposal, with new faces and a clearly different core from last year. A mix of veterans and youth, with NBA and Euroleague experience, has arrived, and Scariolo will be tasked with bringing out everything he has in the locker room.
“There are a lot of new players arriving with qualities, the ability to contribute positively, but also with little or no experience at the competitive level,” the legendary coach explained. “Especially the intricacies of the competition. You can come from the NBA, which has a very high level, and never have experienced a season as demanding and intense as that of a EuroLeague team that aims to be at the top in every competition,” he explained to Eurohoops.
With so many new names (five departures and six arrivals), he’s aware that the first step is to lay the groundwork. And even more so when the schedule is getting tighter every day and demands the best from the teams. “An adaptation phase is necessary, a homogenization phase, not only mentally but also physically. We’ve had a lot of injured players; four or five have been out practically until the first week of competition,” Scariolo stated during Media Day.
“The idea is not to rush the players’ recovery; the goal is for everyone to be healthy so I can take on the burden of choosing who needs to be on the court when the season’s crucial moments come,” added the new Real Madrid coach.
He arrives with clear ideas and a desire to leave his mark. Although he knows that at a club like Madrid, the situation is different. “At a club with the tradition and history of Madrid, even leaving a mark that isn’t bad is very significant. With a little more humility, I hope to contribute my experience, my knowledge, my love for the game, my professionalism, and my desire to help these players compete together,” the iconic Italian coach told Eurohoops.
“Also, so that the section can evolve as planned in the coming seasons toward a future that looks extremely stimulating and interesting,” he added, referring to the role he wants to take on, not only in the present, but also in the future for the white section.
“Same language”
The renovation hasn’t just happened on the court. Sergio Rodríguez and Martynas Pocius have been working in the offices. Two former players who know the club well and have quickly gotten to work.
“I have a very easy-going relationship with them. We speak the same language. It’s very gratifying to be able to speak the language of basketball without translators. I’m always thinking about the codes that would make it easier for people outside the game to understand what we’re talking about when we talk about the game itself,” he said about Real Madrid’s new office.
“It’s much simpler. These are situations they’ve experienced, that they know as players and now as executives, and I think they’re adapting very well,” he clarified about Chacho and Pocius, who have been working in Denver for six years and have been nourished by the NBA culture.
“Martynas had been here for a while and Sergio is truly surprising in how he has been able to prepare in such a short time and has been able to change his mindset from the player who maintains the positivity of that experience, of everything he has experienced as a high-level player, but transferring it to a new role where he has to have a more global vision, more collective and focused on the collective good of the team,” Scariolo told Eurohoops.
“Also with a vision of the future, in the medium and long term, which a player is not expected to have because he has to act in this training session, in this match, and completely in the present,” added the new Real Madrid coach.
Winning’s pressure
Real Madrid is required to reach the top every season. After being eliminated in the first round of the Euroleague Playoffs last year, the challenge is once again present. And with a revamped roster.
“We obviously have to first focus on uniting a very new squad with a tremendous gap in the physical health and fitness of the players. We’ve had a lot of new players, many who haven’t been able to prepare and arrive with only one or two training sessions under their belts at the time of the competition…” he expressed at Media Day about the objectives.
“The first thing is to form a block that has a certain homogeneity and a certain mutual understanding. From there, the idea is to compete in every game. There are no exceptions, so we have to give 100%, and then the competition will put us in our place,” continued Scariolo, who has only had a few preseason games before taking charge of the team after Eurobasket 2025.
“There’s much greater competition than in the past. There’s no doubt that the teams in Spain and Europe have strengthened considerably, and we’ll see if we’re capable of rising to the challenge,” he concluded.