Real Madrid claimed the first-ever EuroLeague SuperCup with a 93-89 victory over Olympiacos at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, giving new head coach Pedro Martinez a trophy in just his second official game in charge.
The Spanish giants, who endured a trophyless 2025-26 campaign, opened the 2026-27 season in the best possible fashion. Edy Tavares was named tournament MVP after a dominant two-game performance, while French guard Axel Luwawu-Cabarrot led the scoring with 12 points in the final, matching his output from the semifinal win over Dubai Basketball.
Real Madrid controlled the opening quarter, jumping out to a 24-15 lead behind three-pointers from Pablo Pradilla, Sergio Llull, and Facundo Campazzo. Olympiacos struggled to find rhythm early, managing just seven baskets in the first ten minutes as Madrid's defence forced a string of turnovers.
The Greek side rallied in the second quarter with a 9-2 run that cut the deficit to three, but Madrid responded with strong interior play to rebuild a ten-point cushion. Olympiacos closed the half strongly, with Jean Montero, Evan Fournier, and Youssoupha Ndiaye combining to bring the score to 43-47 at the break after Cory Joseph hit a buzzer-beater from the perimeter.
The third quarter proved to be the most dramatic passage of play. Olympiacos took the lead for the first time with a 7-0 run early in the period, forcing Martinez's side onto the back foot. Deck answered with two consecutive three-pointers, but Madrid's turnovers continued to gift the Greeks easy opportunities. Olympiacos built their biggest lead at five points midway through the quarter, capitalising on a significant free-throw disparity — the Greeks attempted 37 from the line compared to Madrid's 26.
Abalde steadied the ship from beyond the arc and Tavares reasserted himself in the paint as Madrid edged ahead 75-72 heading into the final quarter. The decisive surge came early in the fourth, when Tavares took charge on both ends and Luwawu-Cabarrot drained a three-pointer to extend the lead to 82-72.
Olympiacos refused to capitulate. Sasha Vezenkov, who finished with a game-high 22 points, personally engineered an 8-0 run to bring his side within four with under two minutes remaining. Evan Fournier then drilled a three-pointer with sixty seconds left to make it 91-89, setting up a frantic finish. But Madrid point guard Darius Feliz sealed the deal with a decisive drive to the basket in the closing seconds, securing the 93-89 final score.
For Pedro Martinez, the trophy represents a statement of intent after inheriting a squad that underperformed last season. The coach was able to rotate freely in Abu Dhabi, with Nick Smith Jr., Gabriele Procida, Max Shulga, and Olivier Sarr all rested for the final. Nikola Milutinov's absence for Olympiacos, meanwhile, may have been decisive — Donta Hall battled bravely in his place but could not match Tavares's influence on the game.
Seven Madrid players achieved double-digit performance ratings in the final, underscoring the collective effort behind the result. With the EuroLeague regular season now imminent, Real Madrid have set the tone for what they hope will be a return to the pinnacle of European basketball.
Sources
- https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/2010070/real-madrid-takes-home-the-first-ever-euroleague-supercup-title/
- https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/news/basket/first-team/reports/cronica-olympiacos-rm-final-supercopa-euroliga-19-09-2026
