Hapoel Tel Aviv Faces Real Madrid Under Intense EuroLeague Pressure

Both Hapoel Tel Aviv and Real Madrid are under significant pressure as the third round of the EuroLeague tips off, with the loser facing an uncomfortable early-season situation. A loss for Hapoel would put them in negative territory with two home defeats, while a loss for Real Madrid would mark the beginning of a "catastrophe" with a 0-3 record. Both teams have high expectations: Real Madrid, last year's finalist, is accustomed to success, while Hapoel Tel Aviv aims to at least replicate its playoff appearance from last season.

Hapoel Tel Aviv has managed to recover from an opening loss to Bayern Munich with a win in Belgrade against Crvena Zvezda. Real Madrid, however, has lost to Dubai and Anadolu Efes, marking an unusually poor start for the club, which recently won the inaugural EuroLeague Supercup just two weeks prior by defeating Dubai and Olympiacos. Despite this recent success, their performance in the main competition has faltered, increasing the pressure.

The pressure on Real Madrid is considerably higher than on Hapoel. The club's management urgently fired coach Sergio Scariolo at the end of last season, despite reaching the EuroLeague final with key centers Walter Tavares and Usman Garuba injured. Scariolo's dismissal was due to a failure to win any domestic titles. His replacement, Pedro Martínez, a highly regarded European coach who led Valencia to the Spanish League title and a EuroLeague Final Four appearance last season, faces challenges. While Martínez is known for his coaching prowess, he has not previously coached a top-tier club like Real Madrid, and the "ego tax" at such a club might be a factor.

Martínez's successful style at Valencia, characterized by quick ball movement and outside-shooting big men, may not translate to Real Madrid, which has averaged only 80 points per game in its opening two EuroLeague contests, significantly lower than Valencia's output. Furthermore, Real Madrid has lost key forwards Mario Hezonja and Trey Lyles to the NBA, and their replacements, Mikael Jantunen and the player, have yet to fill the void. While Tavares remains a dominant force, his backup situation is problematic, with new arrivals D'Namun Jones and Olivier Sarr still adapting to EuroLeague basketball. The backcourt also presents issues, with the aging Facundo Campazzo showing signs of decline and a lack of depth at guard positions, creating an imbalance with the forward and center positions and affecting outside shooting. The hope is that recent acquisition Nico Smith Jr. will address these depth and scoring concerns.

Despite the difficult start, the article suggests there is no need for panic. Real Madrid still possesses a talented and deep roster, and Martínez has a history of success. The team will strive to avoid a 0-3 record, but ultimately, the expectation is that they will recover and contend for a top spot in the standings later in the season.