Hapoel Tel Aviv – Real Madrid match prediction for October 1, 2026
Euroleague
On October 1, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Real Madrid will face each other in the EuroLeague regular season. Here is my exclusive prediction for the upcoming game.
Hapoel Tel Aviv
The Israeli club made a strong impression in last season’s EuroLeague. Despite being newcomers, they finished sixth in the regular season, which secured a playoff spot, but were immediately eliminated by Real Madrid. After such an impressive debut, Hapoel will look to maintain that standard in this campaign as well.
The team opened with a home defeat to Bayern Munich, 84–86, while their second game was no less dramatic, as they beat Crvena Zvezda 81–80 on the road. Oturu recorded a double-double in the first game, while another American, Bryant, did the same in the second. So far, the team has yet to find consistency and its rhythm.
Real Madrid
The Spanish giants have made a surprisingly poor start to the regular season, losing 77–78 away to Dubai in their opening game. Their second outing also ended in an away defeat, this time against Anadolu Efes, 84–94.
This start can be attributed to the club’s demanding schedule, as the team played in a mini-tournament where they won the EuroLeague Super Cup, defeating Dubai in the semifinals and Olympiacos in the final.
It is clear that Real Madrid are still finding their rhythm. The team will improve its record and fight for a place in the playoffs. In the upcoming game, it is time for them to claim their first regular-season victory.
Head-to-head
The clubs met as many as six times last season. Real Madrid first won both regular-season games and then also took the playoff series 3–1.
Prediction
Home-court advantage always matters, but the Israelis are only the nominal hosts, as the game will be played on a neutral court in Sofia. Bookmakers have refused to name a clear favorite in this matchup, since neither team has reached peak form at the start of the season. A high-scoring game is expected, but it seems the players’ shooting ability is being overestimated. I am backing the under 179.5 total points, as both teams need to focus on winning rather than simply putting on a show.
