The Roca Team delivered one of their most complete performances of the season on the evening of Friday, December 26, overpowering Real Madrid 100–95 in a sold-out Gaston Médecin arena to secure a crucial EuroLeague victory.
Played just 24 hours after Christmas, the clash carried significant weight. Both sides arrived with identical records, knowing that defeat would mean slipping out of the top eight in an exceptionally congested EuroLeague table. Backed by a raucous home crowd, Monaco rose to the occasion.
Despite being without injured forward Yoan Makoundou, head coach Vassilis Spanoulis was able to call on Nemanja Nedović, back on the European stage after returning domestically. His starting five—Mike James, Elie Okobo, Alpha Diallo, Jaron Blossomgame and Daniel Theis—set the tone early with intensity and ball movement.
Monaco started aggressively, drawing fouls and attacking the rim, but Real Madrid responded through their dominant centre Walter Tavares, who caused early problems in the paint. The opening quarter was fiercely contested, with neither side able to pull clear, Monaco edging ahead 21–20.
The game swung in Monaco’s favour during the second quarter thanks to the impact of the bench. Matthew Strazel and Terry Tarpey injected energy at both ends of the court, while Nedović’s scoring touch helped stretch the lead. Monaco’s defence tightened, forcing Madrid into rushed possessions and limiting second chances. At half-time, the hosts held a narrow but deserved 47–43 advantage.
Monaco came out firing after the break. An 8–0 run, driven by Theis, Okobo and James, forced Sergio Scariolo into an immediate timeout as the lead briefly ballooned to double digits. Madrid, however, refused to fold. Facundo Campazzo orchestrated a response, dragging the visitors back into contention and levelling the game at 70–70 heading into the final quarter.
The decisive moment came midway through the fourth. With tension at its peak, Monaco produced their most authoritative stretch of the night. Nikola Mirotić knocked down back-to-back three-pointers, Nedović delivered a crucial defensive stop, and Strazel hounded Campazzo into a turnover. Within minutes, Monaco had surged into a commanding lead, sending the Gaston Médecin crowd into full voice.
Despite late long-range efforts from Campazzo, Real Madrid could not overturn the deficit. Monaco closed out the game calmly, sealing a statement win that strengthens their grip on sixth place in the standings.
Speaking afterwards, Spanoulis praised his side’s resilience. “We had good moments and difficult ones, but we stayed together,” he said. “The rebounding and defensive discipline made the difference.”
Madrid coach Sergio Scariolo acknowledged Monaco’s control. “They were solid for 40 minutes,” he said. “My players fought hard, but it wasn’t enough.”
For Monaco, the victory caps a near-perfect night—performance, atmosphere and result aligned—before attention turns to next week’s demanding trip to Barcelona.
