Olimpia and Real Madrid, a long story that started to be an epic one in 1966

In European competitions, Olimpia Milano and Real Madrid have met 36 times, with a record of 25-11 in Real Madrid favor. Real Madrid-Olimpia awarded the European Cup in 1967 in Madrid and the Cup Winners’ Cup in Ostend in 1984: in both circumstances, Real won. This game has been played 18 times in Madrid and the record so far is 16-2 for the Blancos. On Thursday, November 3rd, Game 37 will be on. Here are some of the most significant games of this traditional and ancient rivalry.

1966, Olimpia Milano-Real Madrid 93-76 – In 1964, Real Madrid won its first European Cup by eliminating Simmenthal in the semifinal. In that edition Olimpia was forced to play with no foreigners (banned in Italy). The rule changed in the summer of 1965 and with a roster strengthened by Bill Bradley and Skip Thoren, Simmenthal eliminated the defending champions in the quarterfinals. In Madrid Emiliano Rodriguez scored 20 points and Real won 71-66, but in the Palalido retour-match Simmenthal played a prodigious game, won 93-76 with 40 points scored by Gabriele Vianello and 27 by Bill Bradley. So, it clinched a berth for the Final Four where it defeated CSKA Moscow and then Slavia Prague in the historic championship game in Bologna on April 1st, 1966.

1967, Real Madrid-Olimpia Milano 91-83 – The following season the two teams met again, this time in the championship game, but unfortunately in Madrid. The great Emiliano Rodriguez was still huge, with 29 points that overwhelmed Steve Chubin’s 34-point performance, in one of the greatest "losing efforts" in the history of the club and of the entire competition. Olimpia still was tied at 74, then Austin Robbins fouled out and gradually Rubini’s team lost contact. For Real Madrid, the other big star was Clifford Luyk who scored 17 points, while Miles Aiken added 23.

2021, Real Madrid-Olimpia Milano 76-80 – It was Olimpia’s first win in Madrid in the top European competition. There had already been a win, 62-61 (11 points were scored each by Lonnie Cooper and Claudio Coldebella; Antonis Fotsis had 19 for Real) in the 2003/04 Eurocup, but never in the EuroLeague or and equivalent competition. Olimpia had come close so many times, for example in 2019 when it had accumulated an 18-point margin before losing. And again, last year Olimpia lost only after an overtime. But in 2021, Olimpia won because of a prodigious performance by Sergio Rodriguez (17 points) and some clutch shots coming from Malcolm Delaney (14). Counting the previous 18 games in Madrid, the total balance is now 16-2.

2020, Olimpia Milano-Real Madrid 78-70 – This game, on October 16, 2020, was particularly significant because it interrupted a 14-game losing streak against Real Madrid. Plus, it was a very emotional game. Olimpia went behind by nine at the end of the first quarter and was down by 11 at half-time. Real Madrid led by as many as 12 points, but in the second half Olimpia’s assault was massive. The run was 47-28. Sergio Rodriguez had 37 index rating points and scored 25 points. Another 19 points were scored by Shavon Shields. Olimpia also lost Malcolm Delaney to injury after less than five minutes, but still won.

2009, Olimpia Milano-Real Madrid 70-61 – What made this win special was not only the name of the opponent, but the way in which it matured with a spectacular fourth period, dominated 21-8. It was one of the best games ever played by Marco Mordente, who scored 23 points over 22 minutes, including 14 in the fourth quarter in which he outscored Real Madrid personally, and had the team’s last seven points.