Sergio Scariolo is entering a new chapter in his career. After stepping away from the Spanish national team – where he collected four EuroBasket titles and a World Cup – the Italian coach has returned to Real Madrid, 26 years after his first stint.
Back in 1999, Scariolo guided the club to a Cup title and the 2000 league championship before departing in 2002.
This time he replaces Chus Mateo, who is taking over the national team. Speaking during Real Madrid’s EuroLeague Media Day, Scariolo reflected on the emotions of his return and the challenges ahead.
“It’s a very powerful emotion,” he said. “There has been a dramatic structural change at the club since then, with Florentino’s (Perez) vision, which has then been implemented by great professionals in all areas, in all departments of the club, including, of course, the basketball section.”
He also emphasized Madrid’s forward-looking ambitions.
“Also with a vision of the future that always aims for excellence, but which, in the midst of change and positive uncertainty, with something that is being prepared and important years to come, takes on special meaning.”
Scariolo believes his vast experience will help him adapt quickly.
“Most of them are very nice, but also some tough ones. You learn from everything … and you acquire the ability to recognize situations that arise because you’ve experienced similar ones in the past. With this, you mature as a person and as a professional,” he explained.
He inherits a revamped roster featuring six new arrivals and several injured players.
“There are a lot of new players arriving with qualities … but also with little or no experience at the competitive level,” he said. “An adaptation phase is necessary, a homogenization phase, not only mentally but also physically.”
He stressed patience with injuries.
“The idea is not to rush the players’ recovery; the goal is for everyone to be healthy so I can take on the burden of choosing who needs to be on the court when the season’s crucial moments come.”
Scariolo also highlighted his collaboration with new executives Sergio Rodríguez and Martynas Pocius.
“I have a very easy-going relationship with them. We speak the same language. It’s very gratifying to be able to speak the language of basketball without translators,” he said, praising their transition from players to management.
At a club with Madrid’s history, expectations are clear.
“The first thing is to form a block that has a certain homogeneity and a certain mutual understanding. From there, the idea is to compete in every game. There are no exceptions, so we have to give 100%,” Scariolo stated.
He added a warning about the challenge ahead.
“There’s much greater competition than in the past. There’s no doubt that the teams in Spain and Europe have strengthened considerably, and we’ll see if we’re capable of rising to the challenge.”
"A vision for the future that always aims for excellence"
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) September 26, 2025
The new era of Real Madrid starts under coach Sergio Scariolo https://t.co/T5GnD2TuTk
