Real Madrid Aim for Seventh Costa del Sol Title Against Unicaja
Real Madrid step into the Martín Carpena this evening with a familiar objective and an unfamiliar edge. The XV Costa del Sol Tournament reaches its final, and the reigning European giants are one win away from lifting this preseason trophy for the seventh time.
Kick-off is at 7:00 pm on Realmadrid TV. The timing matters. The EuroLeague Super Cup semifinal against Dubai Basketball looms on Friday the 18th, and this is no longer gentle warm-up territory. This is dress rehearsal.
Madrid sharpening their identity
Less than a week from the first official tip-off of the season, Madrid arrive in Málaga looking sharper, quicker, and more cohesive by the day. The win over La Laguna Tenerife told that story.
Down at the half, they came roaring back to take a 90-97 victory, flipping the game after the break with a stronger defensive stance and cleaner execution on offense. The comeback wasn’t chaotic; it looked like a team beginning to understand its own patterns.
At the heart of it all stood Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot. The Frenchman put up 26 points and posted a performance index rating of 27, a statement outing in any context, preseason or not. He attacked, he finished, he imposed himself. On a floor full of players still finding rhythm, he looked already in stride.
Just as important as the numbers was the style. Madrid continued to imprint the recognizable game model associated with Pedro Martínez: structure with freedom, ball movement with purpose, and a clear idea of where the advantages should come from. For a preseason tournament, the identity is arriving early.
Unicaja, rebuilt and dangerous
Standing in their way is a Unicaja side that has been anything but static this summer.
On Thursday, the Málaga club opened the tournament by beating La Laguna Tenerife 80-76, a tight game that underlined both their potential and their need to grow into so many new pieces. That win booked their place in tonight’s final and offered a first glimpse of a reshaped roster.
Unicaja have undergone a deep rebuild. Eight players have departed, the coach has changed, and with that comes a different voice on the sideline and a fresh hierarchy on the floor. Txus Vidorreta now leads the project, bringing his trademark intensity and tactical detail to a fan base that demands ambition.
He has tools to work with. The club has added experience and size, starting with Willy Hernangómez, whose presence inside gives Unicaja a focal point at both ends. Around him, the arrivals of Pantzar, Brazdeikis, Noua, and Hunt add versatility, shooting, and physicality. It is a group designed to compete right away, not simply to rebuild quietly in the background.
For Madrid, that makes tonight more than a ceremonial final. It is a genuine examination against a hungry opponent on their home floor, with a crowd eager to see their new-look team measure itself against one of Europe’s powerhouses.
Final tune-up before the real thing
The stakes are not about silverware alone. With the EuroLeague Super Cup semifinal against Dubai Basketball coming on Friday at 6:45 pm, every possession now carries preparation value. Rotations will tighten, roles will clarify, and mistakes will be harder to excuse.
Madrid chase a seventh Costa del Sol title. Unicaja chase validation for a summer of change. One wants continuity, the other a new beginning.
For a preseason night in mid-September, the Martín Carpena suddenly feels like a very serious place to be.
