← ArticlesEuroLeague · 10 October 2026

Real Madrid Beats Partizan to End Winless EuroLeague Start

Real Madrid ended its 0–3 EuroLeague start with an 86–76 home win over previously unbeaten Partizan, with Theo Maledon leading a balanced scoring effort.

Real Madrid Beats Partizan to End Winless EuroLeague Start — Buckets editorial graphic

Real Madrid finally has a EuroLeague win, beating previously unbeaten Partizan 86–76 at the Movistar Arena on Thursday, 8 October, to stop its opening losing streak at three games.

Theo Maledon led Madrid with 13 points and Facundo Campazzo added 12 as the hosts moved to 1–3. Carlik Jones scored a game-high 19 for Partizan, whose perfect start ended with its record at 3–1.

The result gives Madrid some breathing room after a difficult opening to the campaign. But it was not simply a comfortable home win: Madrid built a substantial first-half advantage, saw Partizan cut the gap to six in the third quarter, then recovered to finish the job.

The date is confirmed in Real Madrid’s official match report; the game was played on 8 October in Madrid, with reports appearing the following day.

Madrid’s depth builds the lead

This was Madrid’s first home EuroLeague game of the season, arriving in Round 4 after three games away from its own floor. The return to the Movistar Arena produced a collective response rather than a win carried by one scorer.

According to the club’s report, eight Madrid players finished with between seven and 13 points. That spread matters: Maledon’s team-high total tells only part of the story of how Madrid established control.

A 12–3 run to finish the opening quarter put the hosts ahead 27–19. Madrid then scored another 26 points in the second period to reach half-time with a 53–37 lead.

Eurohoops’ round-up independently confirmed the half-time score and the contrasting records the teams brought into the contest. Madrid had given itself a 16-point cushion against an opponent that had won each of its first three games.

Partizan makes Madrid work for it

Partizan did not disappear after the break. Jones and Ethan Thompson drove the visitors’ response as Madrid endured a three-minute scoreless stretch, allowing the deficit to shrink to 60–54 in the 26th minute.

That was the important test for Madrid: a strong first half had created an opportunity, but the hosts still had to withstand a comeback to turn it into their first victory.

Madrid regained its attacking rhythm through Campazzo and Maledon, then leaned on its defence and Maledon’s late contribution to protect the result. Thompson finished with 14 points for Partizan, as Anadolu’s report confirmed alongside the leading scorers and both teams’ opening records.

A first step, not a complete reset

For Madrid, the immediate significance is clear: the winless start is over, and its first home appearance delivered the result it needed. The balanced scoring and response to Partizan’s third-quarter push were the strongest features of the victory.

For Partizan, the defeat ends an unbeaten opening without wiping out those three earlier wins. Jones supplied the night’s biggest individual scoring total, but Madrid’s broader contribution proved enough to separate the teams.

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