EUROLIGUE 2024/25 – AS Monaco suffered its heaviest defeat of the season this Thursday, at Real Madrid (94-72). With subscribers absent all evening, the Monegasques were unable to fight against the Madrilenians concerned, and two notches above.
On a streak of three consecutive victories, Monaco entered the final day of the phase ofEuroLeague in the leader’s costume. A status that had to be defended on the floor of a Real Madrid still in doubt, despite his narrow success in Paris earlier in the week. And all without Elie Okoboabsent from the mark at the last minute.
AS Monaco creates an illusion for five minutes
The meeting starts at a high offensive pace. Carried by the movements of Gabriel Deck et Dzanan MusaReal pierces the Monegasque defense, and as always relies on its size advantage to dominate the rebound (13-4 in QT1). Opposite, the Roca Team can count on a Mike James very involved, but lack of alternation. The Madrilenians are therefore in the lead, and accelerate in the second part of the first quarter. Successively, Facundo Campazzo string with three points, before a two plus one of Mario Hezonja opens a first gap (14-23). Like a Mam Jaiteh with a severe lack of skill near the circle, Monaco struggled to get going collectively, and took the tide, as symbolized by the 29 points conceded in ten minutes.
Without James on the floor, the team is literally taking on water. And even his return does not work a miracle. The start of the second quarter is apocalyptic. Unable to find the slightest good shot, or to access the circle, the formation of Vassilis Spanoulis will go more than five minutes without registering a single point! Opposite, Real plays its basketball with confidence, and widens an abysmal difference by sticking a 10-0 (22-39). Following this disastrous passage, the ASM reacted. Two exterior baskets of Jordan Loyd Then Vitto Brown put an end to the terrible famine, and relaunch the offensive. But the stops did not follow, and the Roca Team remained dropped at the break (35-53), despite the 10 points and 6 assists from a Mike Jamesinvolved in 71% of his team’s points!
Real on display, Roca Team humiliated
A reaction is then necessary, but the resumption is of the same ilk as the first act. The first two attacks are concluded by turnovers, and a two plus one of Facundo Campazzo passed the twenty-point mark (35-56). Hopes of a comeback are then quickly dashed, as the face displayed by the Monegasques is of poor quality, reminiscent of the non-matches experienced so many times during the mandate of Sasa Obradovic. If Donatas Motiejunas manages to scrape a few points, the collective is locked by Madrilenians in phase, and who continue to put on the show, like an alley-oop concluded by Mario Hezonja. Following a new run, Real definitively ensured victory even before the last quarter, the score being clear: 47-76 !
A long blow-out of ten minutes will then complete this one-sided match. On both sides, the benches are wide open, which offers minutes to one Furkan Korkmaz on the return, or to a Juhann Begarin in dire need of playing time. In this context, the Monegasques slightly reduced the gap with an 8-0 led by James and Strazel (58-79). Chus Mateo will then take some time out to at least re-mobilize his team, without the suspense being called into question. At the end of a completely unsuccessful match, AS Monaco conceded its heaviest setback of the season, 94-72.
Halfway through, the Roca Team missed the opportunity to take sole lead, the Paris match having been postponed. Tomorrow, Olympiakos, Zalgiris Kaunas and Bayern Munich will have the opportunity to return to the top of the standings with a record of 11V-6D.
