Today marks 64 years since our basketball team's European Cup debut
Real Madrid are the most successful team in the competition, having won 11 titles.
On 12 March 1958, Real Madrid Basketball's European Cup legacy began. The team made its debut in the competition with a trip to Portuguese side Barreirense, beating them 51-68. The second leg took place on 20 April as Real Madrid won once more 86-40. Real Madrid also eliminated Belgian side Royal IV in the quarter-finals in that first season, but did not play the semi-final against ASK Riga for political reasons.
Sixty seven years on from their first European Cup encounter, Real Madrid now dominate the competition, having won the trophy on 11 occasions. The first came in 1964, with Joaquín Hernández as coach. The Madridistas went on to lift the continental trophy again in 1965, 1967, 1968 and 1974, all four with Pedro Ferrándiz in charge. Another legendary coach, Lolo Sainz, led them to the Sixth and the Seventh (1978 and 1980).
The legend continues
The next success in the competition came in 1995, as Sabonis was dominating European basketball and Obradovic leading from the sidelines. The next triumphs came thanks to the legendary squads coached by Pablo Laso in 2015 and 2018. Finally, La Undécima was lifted with Chus Mateo on the bench following what was a thrilling final decided by Llull's winning shot with three seconds left on the clock.