On January 18, 2026, I photographed my first Liga Endesa basketball match between Real Madrid and Valencia Basket at the Movistar Arena. Madrid came in full of confidence after a commanding EuroLeague win against Barcelona, whereas Valencia was looking to rebound from a tight loss to Fenerbahçe Beko earlier in the week. Despite Valencia’s blistering start, opening the game with accuracy from beyond the arc and building an early lead, Real Madrid rallied impressively in the second quarter, erasing the deficit to go into halftime tied.
From there, the hosts took control, fueled by balanced scoring and disciplined defence. Mario Hezonja led with 23 points, supported by strong contributions from Sergio Llull, David Krämer and Gabriel Deck as Madrid asserted themselves and pulled away. The result, a 94–79 victory, not only kept Real Madrid at the top of the Liga Endesa standings but also showcased their resilience and depth in a key early-season test.
Below are some pictures I took during this game. *please note that these photos are unedited*
Photographing this matchup was a moment I won’t forget, and it’s only fueled my excitement for what’s next. I can’t wait to be back for another match, camera in hand, ready to tell the next story through pictures.