Real Madrid Basketball's 50 Days of Fire: From Tavares' Injury to Sergio Rodríguez's Resignation

Real Madrid's basketball section is reeling from a devastating 50-day stretch that has seen key players sidelined by injuries and the team finish the season without any titles. The crisis deepened Friday with the resignation of Sergio Rodríguez as sporting director, less than a year after taking the position.

The troubles began on April 29 with a seemingly innocuous fall by Edy Tavares during a EuroLeague playoff game. The giant center injured his left knee ligament, ruling him out for the rest of the season. His absence was a critical blow to coach Sergio Scariolo's team, as Tavares is considered the best interior defender in Europe. This injury occurred just as the team was performing well in domestic and European competitions.

However, Tavares's injury was just the start of a "curse." In the following 23 days, five other players suffered injuries, including Alex Len and Usman Garuba, the latter tearing his Achilles tendon, which will keep him out for many months. Despite these setbacks, Madrid competed fiercely in the EuroLeague final against Olympiacos in Athens, ultimately losing. The team's struggles continued with a quarterfinal exit from the Liga Endesa playoffs against Laguna Tenerife, marking the first time since 2008 they failed to reach the ACB semifinals and the first title-less season in 15 years.

The team had already lost three finals earlier in the season: the Supercopa against Valencia, the Copa del Rey against Baskonia, and the EuroLeague against Olympiacos. Scariolo, handpicked by president Florentino Pérez for a three-year contract, faced scrutiny. Pérez, however, reaffirmed his support for the coach shortly after winning re-election. In a significant organizational shift, Pérez also reinstated Juan Carlos Sánchez, a key figure in the club's basketball operations from 2010 to 2025, to a leadership role. Sánchez had stepped down the previous summer after a period that saw the team win 28 titles. His return, alongside the departure of former sporting director Alberto Herreros, left Rodríguez, a club legend, inheriting the role with Martynas Pocius and Paco Robles. Rodríguez's tenure lasted only 11 months. Feeling undermined by Sánchez's return, Rodríguez announced his resignation on Friday, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and trust he received during the season.

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After deep reflection, this afternoon I communicated to the President the decision to end my time leading the sports management of our Basketball Section. I sincerely thanked him for the opportunity and the trust received this season.