Red Star vs Real Madrid (Euroleague): odds and picks 17.10.2025

It’s always a heated match in Belgrade. Red Star arrives with a recent change on the bench and a need to stop the bleeding in close finishes; their strength lies in the atmosphere and in contact: long possessions, five-on-five and offensive rebounding. If they manage to slow down the pace, they will have a real chance.

Madrid, for its part, arrives with experience and plenty of firepower. Away from home, the classic plan works for them: shield the basket with Tavares, control the rebound and run after recovery. Overall keys: home team turnovers (threshold 12), punishment of the central block on Campazzo/Musa and the Serbian five’s foul management. I see a battle of streaks and a finish that could break after the break.

Information: date, time and where to watch the game

• Competition: Euroleague
• Date and time: Friday 17 October

Odds for the winner of the Red Star vs Real Madrid match

 (Reference odds; may vary until the time of the match)

Latest news from Red Star

New momentum from the bench and urgency to gain traction at home. The roadmap is clear: physical play in the 4-5, ball to the middle post and forcing free throws. They must protect the ball on the front lines and punish every match-up on the wing. If their perimeter catches fire early, the Stark Arena will do the rest.

Probable starting five and key players

• Point guard: pace setter, good pick & roll
• Shooting guard: streaky scorer, indirect drives
• Small forward: 3&D with rebounding duties
• Power forward: physical four who posts up and opens up at 45
• Centre: powerful five, focus on blocking and follow-through

Reading: contact game to hit inside and open corners. The second unit must maintain intensity without turnovers; if they load up on offensive rebounds, they will scrape together “free” points.

Red Star: breaking news

New coach’s debut with adjusted outside roles and more minutes for defensive profiles. Priority: stop Campazzo’s central block and avoid early fouls by the centre. Tactical signal: collapse the paint and live off the bonus; if help doesn’t arrive in the corner, they will suffer from the visitors’ three-pointers.

Current situation in the Euroleague

An up-and-down start and finishes that have slipped away due to small details. At home, they are at their best when playing at a slow pace, with 70-75 possessions and dominance on the glass. If they force 12+ turnovers and win free throws, the game becomes their mould.

Latest news on Real Madrid

The Whites are on a roll and arrive with a recognisable plan: defence of the basket, ball control and selective transitions. The bench offers points and legs to change momentum. The only caveat: managing the workload on the wings to stay fresh for the close.

Probable starting five and key players

• Point guard: Facundo Campazzo
• Shooting guard: Dzanan Musa
• Small forward: Gabriel Deck
• Power forward: Trey Lyles / Chuma Okeke
• Centre: Walter Tavares

Campazzo commands and punishes help defence, Musa is sharp, Deck brings physicality to the wings; at the 4, an open profile to clear the paint for Tavares. From the bench, Llull and company maintain the threat and raise the tempo in stretches.

Real Madrid: breaking news

Practically full rotation and focus on turnovers ≤11. Key health factor: avoid accumulating fouls on Tavares/Poiri­er to maintain the rebounding advantage. Tactical signal: load the corners when Red Star collapses the post and run after steals.

Current situation in the Euroleague

Solid start. All they need to do is win rebounds and average percentages on three-pointers to impose their plan away from home. When they exceed 36% on three-pointers and live on the line, they become very difficult to chase for 40 minutes.

Recent clashes between Red Star and Real Madrid

The recent history has been tinged with white, especially in the second halves: Madrid usually opens up a gap from the third quarter onwards with defence + transition. In Belgrade, Red Star has competed when it has slowed down the pace and punished at the post, but has struggled to close out defensive rebounds in the crucial minutes. The pattern: if the Serbian perimeter does not reach 37% in T3, Madrid’s physicality makes the difference.

Summary of the key factors in this match

• Pace: half court, better for Red Star; with transitions, better for Madrid.
• Rebounding: advantage for the Whites if Tavares avoids fouls.
• Local losses (≤12): red line to avoid giving away points.
• Visiting triple: Musa/Llull as a barometer of partial scores.
• Fouls by the Serbian number 5: they condition the inside game.
• Third quarter: Madrid’s usual moment of breakthrough.

Red Star vs Real Madrid: our prediction