Spanish basketball is renowned for being the richest and most deep in Europe, filled with emotion and thrilling matchups. One such highly anticipated matchup is the Unicaja-Real Madrid grand final of the Copa del Rey de Gran Canaria, scheduled to take place in Las Palmas. This exciting encounter follows the solid triumph of Unicaja against Tenerife Laguna with a score of 90-83 and Real Madrid’s victory over the host Dreamland Gran Canaria with a score of 63-80.
Unicaja and Real Madrid are no strangers to each other, having faced off in several high-stakes matches in the past. Notably, they met in the final of the last Super Cup, where Unicaja emerged victorious with an excellent performance from Kameron Taylor, who was named the MVP with a score of 88-81. Their historical rivalry also includes the Zaragoza Cup 2005, which Unicaja won under the guidance of Sergio Scariolo with a score of 80-76, and Jorge Garbajosa was named the MVP. Another significant matchup was the Malaga 2020 final, where Madrid dominated with a score of 95-68, marking the largest difference in history in a final.
Madrid’s Path to the Final
Real Madrid’s journey to the final has been marked by a strong defensive performance. According to Chus Mateo, “We were surprised by their aggressiveness in defense, which made it difficult for us to circulate the ball, but we were patient and managed to get back into the game.” He further emphasized the team’s defensive prowess, saying, “We defended as animals and played better than ever in the second half.” A key player in their success has been Campazzo, who effectively handled his pairing with the challenging Albicy and made crucial shots from outside. Campazzo’s message was clear: “This shirt demands that we do everything possible to win.”
Unicaja’s Confidence
Unicaja, on the other hand, is not giving up on their dreams. Despite being the underdog, they are in another final and their team continues to grow. Ibon Navarro attributes their competitiveness to each player knowing their role. Standouts include Yankuba Sima and Alberto Díaz, who were heroes in the semifinal. Sima’s unique abilities make him a game-changer, and Díaz is in top form. Jonathan Barreiro jokingly suggested that they might build a statue in honor of Díaz’s performances.
Everyone is aware of Unicaja’s strengths, but few can anticipate their strategies. Chus Mateo notes, “They are a team that knows each other very well, and their coach has built a team with mechanisms to gain an advantage in any situation.” He emphasizes the need for perfection, saying, “You have to play perfectly.” Edy Tavares, crucial in defense, shares this sentiment, acknowledging that Unicaja “has been playing very well for a long time” and isn’t in the final by chance.
The final promises to be an exciting matchup between two prepared and aware teams. As Chus Mateo puts it, “We built our strategy with details, and each player knows what they need to contribute to do better, despite their individual egos.” This mindset will be crucial as both teams face off in what is expected to be a closely contested and thrilling final.