Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
Real Madrid
Olympiacos
The third game of the EuroLeague basketball playoff quarterfinal series will feature a clash between Real Madrid and Olympiacos. The match will take place in Madrid on Tuesday, April 29, with a scheduled start at 21:00 Central European Time. I suggest betting on the game's scoring outcome.
Match Preview
In the EuroLeague, Real Madrid is having a less than stellar season. The team appears unstable and suffers from frequent defeats. In the regular season, the Spaniards finished only seventh, losing 14 games. In the current EuroLeague format, Real Madrid has never performed so poorly in the regular campaign.
The final position gave them the right to play in the play-in matches, but it was tough there too. Initially, the Madrid club lost at home to debutants Paris, and only managed to secure a playoff spot in a match against Bayern. To be fair, the German club had no chance in that game — 93:71.
Interestingly, Real is close to another disappointing achievement. In the previous four EuroLeague seasons, they invariably reached the Final Four, and the last time they were knocked out in the quarterfinals was in the 2020/2021 season. Back then, the Madrid team lost to Anadolu Efes in a five-game series.
On a domestic level, Real Madrid shows diametrically opposite results. With 25 wins in 29 matches, they are the main contenders for the championship title in Spain.
Meanwhile, Olympiacos is having a truly fantastic season. The Greeks performed excellently throughout the regular season and ultimately finished first with a record of 24-10.
The club from Piraeus boasts a balanced squad and is considered by bookmakers as the main favorite to win the tournament. Notably, the team hasn't won the EuroLeague since 2013 and now has a good chance to claim their fourth title in history.
In the first two playoff games against Real, the Greeks took the maximum and quite unexpectedly secured victories. The opening match was nearly perfect, winning 84:72. The second game posed more challenges, but Olympiacos managed to recover after a disastrous first quarter and doubled their lead before the match in Madrid.
On the domestic front, Olympiacos finished second in the regular season and has already defeated Panionios in the quarterfinals. Their next opponent will be AEK, and in the final series, we are likely to witness another clash between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.
Match Facts
- Real Madrid has lost only one of their last 14 home games.
- Olympiacos is on a six-game winning streak.
- Real averages 91 points per game at home, while Olympiacos averages 86 points per game on the road.
Players to Watch
In both quarterfinal matches, Sasha Vezenkov emerged as the top scorer on the court for both teams. The Bulgarian averages over 20 points per game, being the Greek club's main weapon. Additionally, the 29-year-old forward's height allows him to make 7 rebounds, making him a key player on defense as well.
H2H
- Olympiacos has won all four matches this season against Real Madrid.
- In Madrid, the Greeks have only won three times in the last 16 years.
Prediction
Bookmakers have no doubts about Olympiacos' eventual success, but Real Madrid has nowhere left to retreat. In case of failure in this game, the Spanish club will stop fighting for the title of the continent's best team. However, the slight favorite for the next match is considered to be Madrid, who should bring back the intrigue. I think the hosts will give their all and will bet on their individual total to be over 79.5 points.
