The fact that the most-decorated basketball club in European history has returned to the ULEB Cup Final may be taken as proof that the status of this five-year-old competition is growing off the charts. Real Madrid's list of continental titles is second to none in Europe, and its trophy case more crowded than perhaps any on the planet. Crowned European champion a record eight times, Madrid is also the only continental king to reign in four different decades. It also claims five other European trophies, 29 domestic titles, 22 Spanish Cups and various other crowns along the way. Madrid's first trophy came more than 55 years ago, in the 1950-51 Spanish Cup, and its last was the 2005 Spanish League title. In between, its success counted in trophies lifted has outnumbered the club's famous football side. There is only one competition for which Madrid has played a title game but never lifted the trophy: the ULEB Cup. On its second trip in three seasons to Charleroi for a ULEB Cup Final, mighty Madrid plans to make clear that even though 21st century European basketball is more competitive than ever, the continent's best team until now is on the rise once again.
Madrid's history reads like a timeline of the sport in Europe. Its international reputation grew with one of the earliest continental dynasties, four Euroleague-level crowns in five seasons between 1964 and 1968. The first and last came against Spartak Brno of Czechoslovakia, the second against CSKA Moscow and the third against Simmenthal Milan, which had interrupted Madrid's victory string in the middle year. Joaquin Hernandez coached Madrid's first title team, while the legendary Pedro Ferrandiz was on the bench for the other three, directing such superstars of the day as Emiliano Rodriguez and Clifford Luyk. Madrid and Ferrandiz returned to the podium in 1974 to interrupt the identical string - four titles in five years - of Varese, and again in 1978, to top another Italian team, Mobilgirgi, by 81-74 as Walter Szczerbiak starred and Lolo Sainz coached. In 1980, Madrid took the first crown of a new decade by stopping MaccabiTel Aviv 89-85, again under Sainz. A 15-year wait followed until Madrid could call itself champion again, downing Olympiacos 73-61 behind two other legends: Arvydas Sabonis on the court and Zeljko Obradovic on the bench.Labels: football fc, football news, news |
