VIDEO SHOWS: PROTESTERS AHEAD OF EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL MATCH BETWEEN REAL MADRID AND MACCABI TEL AVIV, DEMANDING ISRAELI TEAMS TO BE BANNED FROM SPORTS COMPETITIONS / SOUNDBITES FROM PROTESTERS RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MADRID, SPAIN (JANUARY 8, 2026) (REUTERS-Access all) 1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WAVING PALESTINIAN FLAGS OUTSIDE MOVISTAR ARENA WHERE REAL MADRID AND MACCABI TEL AVIV PLAY EUROLEAGUE MATCH CLOSED DOORS 2. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Spanish) “Maccabi Tel Aviv, get out from Madrid” 3. PROTESTERS CHANTING ¨Free, free Palestine” 4. PROTESTERS PLAYING DRUMS AND CHANTING ¨ Boycott Israel” 5. PROTESTER USING MEGAPHONE 6. PROTESTER SHOUTING (Spanish) “From river to the sea, Palestine will win” 7. PROTESTER WAVING PALESTINIAN FLAGS 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER AND RETIRED MARIA LUISA GOMEZ, 68, SAYING: "I have come to stop the match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Real Madrid. We understand that this is a way of whitewashing the genocide in Gaza, and it is unbearable. We cannot continue with this genocide. So we have to do our bit by trying to prevent Israel from normalising the situation when there is a war and genocide going on." 9. PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING (Spanish) “As genocidal, out Israel from sports competitions” 10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER AND GARDENER, DANIEL LIEBANA, 47, SAYING: "In part, it is a victory for the pro-Palestinian movements that have managed, through pressure, to get the match played behind closed doors. But what would be right is for Maccabi Tel Aviv, and indeed any Israeli team, to be banned from playing in the European League." 11.VARIOUS OF PROTESTER CHANTING AND WAVING PALESTINIAN FLAGS 12. MAN CONFRONTING PROTEST, THROWING PALESTINIAN FLAG AND SAYING (Spanish) “Long live Maccabi, long live Maccabi, the great Zionist movement” 13. VARIOUS OF POLICE OUTSIDE ARENA STORY: Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on Thursday (January 8) outside Movistar Arena where Real Madrid and Maccabi Tel Aviv played Euroleague match, demanding Israeli teams to be banned from sports competitions. The match was played behind closed doors due to security concerns, Real said on Monday (January 5). The decision was taken to comply with a police recommendation after the match was deemed high-risk, the Spanish club said in a statement, adding that tickets for the game will be refunded. Games involving Israeli teams Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv were played at neutral venues since October 2023 until last month due to protests over the conflict in Gaza. Stink bombs interrupted a match between Paris and Maccabi last season, and Turkish side Fenerbahce moved their home games against the Israeli teams in November to Munich due to security concerns. The match between Dubai and Hapoel was also played behind closed doors in November in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo for security reasons. Real are 10th in the league table with 11 wins, while Maccabi are 14th with three fewer victories. (Production: Guillermo Martinez, Elena Rodriguez)
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