November 2024

Champions League Water Polo Matchday 5 –  Five Talking Points

1. Seven of the eight Quarter Final spots are booked and three group winners already confirmed. Novi Beograd, Barceloneta and Ferencvaros all claimed their respective top spots, with each side having won all five matches so far. Marseille, Jadran Split, Olympiacos and Savona joined them this week – the latter two are yet to decide which side will be ranked first in Group D. It’s going to be a clear battle as they face off against each other on Day 6 in Savona, and the winner, either in 32 minutes or in a shootout, will win the group. The last berth will go down to the all-Romanian clash between Oradea and Steaua. Oradea enjoy a two-point advantage, so for them, any result other than a home defeat in regular time would be enough to see them progress. 2. Title-holders Ferencvaros have been overwhelming since the start of this new season – and indeed they were last season too when they posted a 40-1 win record across all competitions. This year, their count stands at 16-0 and their home stats are even more stunning. The last time they lost in Budapest dates back to 23 May 2023 when Sabadell downed them 12-10 on Margaret Island, in the last round of the Group Stage, which was a game without anything at stake. Since then, they are 44-0 at home, across all competitions. In the Champions League, they’ve lost twice in 25 matches in the last four years in Budapest. Besides Sabadell, they fell to Barceloneta in 2022, so only the Spanish may pose some threat to Fradi. In the penultimate round this week, the Hungarians were especially brutal with Radnicki – one could barely see a top Serbian team being thrashed 16-4, but FTC were absolutely superior from the beginning to the end. Too bad for Radnicki that Soma Vogel enjoyed an exceptional day in the goal, as he came up with a 78% save rate after stopping 14 of Radnicki’s 18 shots on target. 3. It’s interesting to see that Novi Beograd are having some struggles playing at home – while they have been flying high in their away matches. Even though they’ve snatched three victories in Serbia, none of them have come with ease. They beat Steaua 11-7, but they could only secure the win in the last period, and they also had a tough match with Hannover in a game that saw them triumph 10-8. And this Wednesday, Oradea had a couple of possessions to equalise in the final quarter before a late goal secured NBG’s 12-10 victory. In stark contrast, they blew Steaua and Oradea away in Romania, hitting 15 in both matches and won by 6 and 7. Coming next, a visit to Hannover and a fine chance for another big win. 4. KEIO Sabadell’s Champions League dreams are over again, which must be painful for the Spanish side, as they’ve always given a really tough time to even the strongest teams over the last three years since they joined the top flight. In their first year (2022/23), one goal separated them from qualifying for the Final Eight as they beat Jug 15-12 at home, but lost away 14-10, and the rule for equal points saw them drop to fifth place. A year later, they beat Novi Beograd in Belgrade in the Group Stage, but after losing thrillers to Brescia by one goal both home and away, their quest to reach the quarters ended early again. And this season they lost crucial matches in the toughest group. Indeed, after opening their campaign with a brilliant win in Savona, they were unable to add any regular time wins in their next four matches. Unlike the two advancing teams, Olympiacos and Savona, they were unable to beat Primorac in Kotor, only in the shootout, but more painfully, they had to settle for a loss on penalties to Savona at home, which had actually put the writing on the wall. They should have prevailed against Olympiacos in Piraeus, but the Greeks, after two bad home games, found their composure and hit 15 goals against the Spaniards once more, just like in Sabadell, and bagged all three points after a convincing performance. It leaves Sabadell with another shot in the Euro Cup – but they remain still far from becoming the force their seven-time CL-winning women’s team are in Europe. 5. Marseille strengthened their squad in the summer by bringing in some quality signings, including Montenegro goalkeeper Petar Tesanovic, who enjoyed a series of outstanding Champions League matches for his previous club Brescia (he even scored against Novi Beograd in the 2022 semi-final). However, in the first three matches of this season, Marseille lost twice and they looked vulnerable at the back. They somehow overcame Jadran Herceg Novi at home in the opening round – after conceding 11 goals – but then came a stunning defeat away at Vasas (13-11) and a total thrashing in Barcelona (19-14). Receiving 43 goals in three matches is not the way to reach the next stage, so the French side had to step up and the players have delivered. On Day 4, they held Jadran to three goals in Herceg Novi, a tremendous achievement, and in this last round they also conceded a single-digit amount as they took revenge on Vasas with a 13-9 win and advanced to the top eight once again. — Watch all the Champions League Men action live on www.euroaquaticstv.com and stay up-to-date with live results/tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play.

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Seven Quarter Final spots booked, all Champions League group-winners confirmed

Novi Beograd had to overcome some headaches to down Oradea and secure the top rank in Group A, but Steaua’s win in Hannover leaves the 8th qualifying spot open – so a Romanian showdown will decide who will go through on the final day. In Group B, title-holders Ferencvaros blew away Radnicki to finish top, while Jadran Split made no mistakes to beat Dinamo and advance to the next stage. Group A VK Novi Beograd (SRB) 12-10 CSM Oradea (ROU)Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) 9-12 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU) Standings: 1. Novi Beograd 15, 2. Oradea 8, 3. Steaua 6, 4. Hannover 1 Oradea would have needed at least a point to secure their spot in the next round (regardless of the outcome of the evening match), and they were close to getting it in Beograd, but the Serbs prevailed in the end. NBG started dominating in the second period, gaining a 5-3 lead, then Vasilije Martinovic added two fine goals to give the home side a 7-4 lead at half-time. Three minutes into the third, the Romanians were back in it after netting two for 7-6, however, the Serbs delivered a swift response, as Martinovic and Dimitrios Skoumpakis buried extras to reset the three-goal gap. With 1:06 remaining, Novi went 11-7 up, but their comfortable lead soon vanished as Oradea hit two in a span of 31 seconds to start the final period at 11-9. The Serbs missed a man-up early in the fourth, and even though Milan Glusac delivered two great saves within one man-down, he couldn’t put a hand on David Belenyesi’s blast from the perimeter to make it 11-10 and there was still 4:39 to play. The following four minutes saw a huge fight, NBG missed two man-ups, while Filip Gardasevic couldn’t score his fifth from a counter which would have been the equaliser. In contrast, Martinovic hit his fifth of the night to close down the contest 49 seconds from time and secure NBG’s top spot. Steaua benefitted from Oradea’s earlier defeat and kept their chance to make the cut as they downed Waspo in Hannover in a hard-fought match. The Romanians established a 3-5 lead, but the hosts climbed back with two late goals to 5-5 in the second quarter, though they could have done more as they had seven man-ups alone in this period. Hannover scored one early in the third to go 6-5 ahead, but Steaua hit back with a powerful 0-3 rush in 1:50 minutes. Mark Gansen pulled one back then Steaua’s Francesco Iudean fired in two 6m shots before the last break to open up a 7-10 advantage. Antonio Buha netted an extra one minute into the fourth, but Tudor-Andrei Fulea also converted a 6 on 5 right away. Buha then scored from action and Waspo had two fine chances to come even closer, but they missed both and Fulea sent the ball home from a man-up 3:48 from time to settle the bill. The result paved the way for a classic Romanian showdown on the last day, as the clash of Oradea and Steaua will decide the second qualifying spot in this group. Group B Jadran Split (CRO) 12-5 Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) 16-4 Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) Standings: 1. FTC 15, 2. Jadran 11, 3. Radnicki 4, 4. Dinamo 0 Both Jadran and FTC did a clean and professional job – although what Ferencvaros did with Radnicki was more than a clean job, as the title-holders completely dismantled the Serbian side. Deep into the third period, Ferencvaros led 11-1, and Soma Vogel’s save percentage stood at 88% – the Serbs only managed to beat him from a 6 on 4, and at the second attempt after their first shot was saved. In 21 minutes, that was somewhat incredible in view of Radnicki’s star-studded line-up. FTC were devastating once more, with Krisztian Manhercz hitting three of their first four goals, and later almost everyone joined the party from the home side. After 11-1, the Serbs found the back of the net twice from back-to-back possessions, but it was short-lived happinness, if it was at all. They managed to add another early in the fourth, yet they conceded four more to be knocked out by 12 goals. Vogel finished with 14 saves from 18 shots for an incredible 78% – while the Serbian goalies had four saves combined from 20 shots, which perfectly highlighted the major difference between the teams. FTC booked the top spot before the last round and Jadran also secured their Quarter Final berth as they decided the match against Dinamo by half-time. Marko Bijac had another outstanding evening in the Croats’ goal, finishing with a remarkable 11 saves from 16 shots for 69%. Jadran slowed down a little in the second half, which ended 5-4, but there could be no complaints as the three points were already safely staying in Split. Indeed, the home side were very clinical, scoring 12 goals from 25 shots and 22 of those were on target, which was a great demonstration of their fine concentration levels. – Watch all the Champions League matches live on www.euroaquaticstv.com, and stay up-to-date with live results, group tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play.

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Olympiacos, Savona and Marseille join Barceloneta in Quarter Finals

As expected, the penultimate round of the men’s Champions League Group Stage saw four home wins on Tuesday and that secured Barceloneta’s top spot in Group C, as well as Quarter Final berths for Marseille, Olympiacos and Savona. Group C CN Marseille (FRA) 13-9 Vasas-Plaket (HUN)Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) 20-8 Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) Standings: 1. Barceloneta 15, 2. Marseille 9, 3. Jadran HN 3, 4. Vasas 3 In the first eight minutes, the fans in Marseille were reliving the nightmares they endured on Day 2 when Vasas stunned the French in Budapest, as Bogdan Durdic hit two fast goals for the Hungarian side and with 0:04 to go he scored again, that time for 3-4. Vasas even had a man-up early in the second to double their lead, but missed it – and soon Marseille showed their real force. Michael Bodegas netted two quickly, Thomas Vernoux also fired in from an extra and even though Sava Randelovic pulled one back, soon Daniel Angyal was on target from close range, much to the sorrow of his fellow Hungarians as he reset Marselle’s two-geal lead 18 seconds from half-time. Durdic kept Vasas in the game with his fourth goal early in the third, but only temporarily. Their defence couldn’t do much in man-downs, Ugo Crousillat struck twice, then added one from action and after a couple of misses on extras – which were more painful for Vasas – Bodegas scored another one from action to complete Marseille’s 4-0 run in this period. Indeed, they went for 8-2 in the middle two periods, which was decisive as the fourth started at 11-6. Though Vasas scored twice in two minutes to kick off the last, Alessandro Velotto put away an extra, just like Vernoux a bit later. In man-ups, Marseille were absolutely superior, the number of goals scored in these situations stood 10-1 at the end, which ultimately decided the outcome. For the French, good news came from Barceloneta, as the Spanish team blew Jadran away, and that secured Marseille’s spot in the Quarter Finals too. At the beginning, the Montenegrins put up a good fight, as they took the lead late in the first and also three minutes into the second, at 3-4. Barceloneta needed almost five minutes to score their first in this quarter – but then they started rolling. It was rather a whirlwind, five action goals from as many possessions and even though Alvaro Granados’ penalty was well saved 19 seconds from time, no one felt that it was a big waste. What’s more, Barceloneta added three more goals in the third, so they staged an 8-0 run – and all eight came from action. And there were more, as the hosts scored seven alone in this period and stopped at 20 at the end. In contrast, after scoring four in 11 minutes, Jadran could only add four in the remaining 21 minutes – indeed it was a 17-4 demolition from Barceloneta after 3-4. A result that also secured the top spot for the Spanish champions. Group D Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) 15-11 KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP)RN Savona (ITA) 11-9 Primorac Kotor (MNE) Standings: 1. Olympiacos 11, 2. Savona 11, 3. Sabadell 6, 4. Primorac 2 Olympiacos and Savona both reached safe waters after fine home wins. It was the first ‘three-pointer’ for Olympiacos in their own pool after they managed to break Sabadell in the middle two periods. The Spaniards kept up till 6-6, then Konstantinos Genidounias buried a penalty, forced in a man-up and Nikolaos Gkillas scored a morale-boosting one from a counter-like attack in the very last second before half-time. A great goal from the centre from Konstantinos Gouvis 53 seconds into the third established a three-goal lead for the home side. Vincenzo Renzuto pulled one back from a six on five, but two more hits from action expanded the gap to four in a span of 51 seconds. Gergo Zalanki fired one in from the perimeter, Konstantinos Kakaris followed up with a big backhander from the centre for 11-7. The Greeks killed a man-down, then Ioannis Fountoulis converted a penalty and Olympiacos led 12-7, having staged a 6-1 rush after 6-6. There was no way back for Sabadell, they could reduce the gap to three goals twice in the fourth, but the Greek reply always came as last season’s bronze medallists finally came up with a worthy performance in front of their loud and passionate supporters. Savona found it unexpectedly hard to beat Primorac, but in the end the Italians prevailed. The hosts jumped to a 2-0 lead, but the Montenegrins equalised from finely-played man-ups. The script slightly changed in the second, as Savona went 4-2 up and Primorac could halve the gap from time to time, but the Italians still held a 6-5 lead at half-time. A shock came in the third when Primorac scored three in a row, as within two minutes they beat the home defence in man-ups and also denied their rivals twice in man-downs. Pietro Figlioli halted his side’s bad run by burying a penalty and 22 seconds from the final break, Balazs Erdelyi’s action shot brought them back to level at 8-8. The first two minutes in the last period proved decisive. Figlioli converted another penalty, then he also sent the ball home from an extra – while Primorac wasted their 6 on 5s, not even taking a shot from either of their two opportunities. Savo Cetkovic broke Primorac’s seven-minute silence from a man-up for 10-9, and the Montenegrins had two balls to equalise, one in a man-up, but they couldn’t create any real danger. With 1:23 to go, Daniil Merkulov delivered huge relief to the home fans as he blasted one from the perimeter for 11-9 and that not just closed down the contest, but also sent Savona to the Quarter Final round. Fixtures for Wednesday(all times are CET) Group A 18.15 Novi Beograd (SRB) v CSM Oradea (ROU)20.00 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v Steua Bucharest (ROU)

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European Aquatics Water Polo Highlights Show: Matchday 4 Action Now on YouTube

European Aquatics unveiled the latest episode of its Water Polo Highlights Show, featuring the electrifying action from Matchday 4 of the #waterpoloCL. Catch every thrilling moment on YouTube now! 📺 Watch now: European Aquatics Water Polo Highlights Show The race for Group D supremacy is heating up as Olympiacos and RN Savona both claimed crucial victories, leaving them neck-and-neck at the top of the table. With a direct quarter-final spot on the line, the competition is fiercer than ever.  Relive the unmatched performances of Europe’s top teams, including FTC-Telekom, Zodiac CNAB, and Novi Beograd, who remain unbeaten and in top form. From clutch goals to dramatic saves, every moment in the #waterpoloCL is a masterpiece of skill and determination. Get Ready for More Action!The #waterpoloCL delivers unmatched drama and excitement as teams compete for the ultimate prize. This episode of the Water Polo Highlights Show is your all-access pass to the best plays, strategies, and celebrations from Matchday 4. Subscribe and Never Miss OutStay connected with the world of water polo by subscribing to the European Aquatics YouTube channel. From highlights and interviews to behind-the-scenes content, we bring you closer to the game you love.

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More Champions League Quarter Final tickets up for grabs on Day 5

There is a good chance all eight quarter-final berths will be booked in the penultimate round of the Group Stage. Three teams have already advanced on Day 4, as Ferencvaros, Novi Beograd and Barceloneta each maintained their perfect record (4/4) and another win would also secure the top spot for them. Men’s Champions League Fixtures, Day 5(all times are CET) Group A (Wednesday)18.15 Novi Beograd (SRB) v CSM Oradea (ROU)20.00 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v Steua Bucharest (ROU) Group B (Wednesday)18.15 Jadran Split (CRO) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)20.00 FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) Group C (Tuesday)20.00 CN Marseille (FRA) v Vasas-Plaket (HUN)20.00 Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) Group D (Tuesday)18.15 Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP)18.15 RN Savona (ITA) v Primorac Kotor (MNE) In Group A, Novi Beograd need only a point against Oradea to finish first, though the Serbs will still go all-out for a fifth win. In this match, the visiting side may also qualify, as they possibly can even afford to lose the match if their fellow Romanian side fail to beat Waspo. Since that game will take place in Hannover, the Germans will put up a good fight as they don’t want to let this stage go without a positive result. Two home wins would settle everything in Group B and no doubt this double is very much on the cards, as Jadran face winless Dinamo in Split and Ferencvaros have been simply overwhelming so far. The Hungarians are 15/15 this season, though Radnicki won’t give anything for free and that may result in a great game being played on Wednesday evening. Something similar is expected in Group C where the scenario is exactly the same. Barceloneta are already through and are clear favourites to top the table and beat Jadran Herceg Novi this week. This outcome would open the door for Marseille, as the French would just have to beat Vasas to go through. While this looks probable, we need to recall Day 2 when the Hungarians upset Marseille, however, the recent form of the two sides points towards a home victory. And two home wins would also end the ‘chaos’ in Group D. While this won’t be any surprise, here the ‘expect the unexpected’ rule has been enforced by the four teams. Olympiacos, for example, are yet to win a home match in regular time in the Group Stage. And Sabadell will arrive with the utmost determination to grab their last chance to make the cut, so the Greeks must bring their A game to the pool to avoid more embarrassment in Piraeus. At the same time, in Savona, the Italians will go for all three points against Primorac, which would send them through if Olympiacos also win. Anyway, a victory would either guarantee a QF berth for Savona or bolster their chances to advance on the last day. Kotor only have a mathematical chance, but even the optimistic calculation is so wild that hardly anyone would count on it in Montenegro. Facts and Figures Group ANovi Beograd (SRB) v CSM Oradea (ROU)Points gained so farNBG: 3333ORA: 3023Head-to-head: 1-0Day 2: 15-9 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v Steua Bucharest (ROU)Points gained so farHAN: 0100STE: 0210Head-to-head: 2-1Day 2: 8-8, pen: 4-5. 2021-22: 10-9, 13-12 Group BJadran Split (CRO) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)Points gained so farJAD: 2303DIN: 0000Head-to-head: 4-1Day 2: 16-10. 2022-23: 12-7, 21-7. 2021-22: 15-13, 11-12 FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB)Points gained so farFTC: 3333RAD: 1030Head-to-head: 2-0 (1d)Day 2: 12-5. 2021-22: 11-11, 13-12 Group CCN Marseille (FRA) v Vasas-Plaket (HUN)Points gained so farMAR: 3003VAS: 0300Head-to-head: 0-1Day 2: 11-13 Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE)Points gained so farBAR: 3333JHN: 0030Head-to-head: 7-0Day 2: 19-14. 2020-21: 13-11, 12-9. 2019-20: 12-6, 13-12. 2015-16: 6-5, 15-10 Group DOlympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP)Points gained so farOLY: 2303SAB: 3021Head-to-head: 1-0Day 2: 15-8 RN Savona (ITA) v Primorac Kotor (MNE)Points gained so farSAV: 0332PRI: 1010Head-to-head: 1-0Day 4: 18-12 — Watch all the Champions League Men action live on www.euroaquaticstv.com and stay up-to-date with live results/tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play.

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Champions League Water Polo Matchday 4 –  Five Talking Points

1. While Olympiacos were always famous for their strong performances in Piraeus, this season they are having to chase the points they’ve lost in their home games. And, so far, they’ve always come up strong in their following away matches. After saving the game to a shootout against Kotor on Day 1 in Greece, they thrashed Sabadell 8-15 in Spain. Next came their stunning home defeat against Savona in the third round, which meant they found themselves playing under tremendous pressure in Kotor on Day 4. Again, Olympiacos produced another brilliant away performance and built a massive 3-9 lead by half-time, and added nine more goals in the second half to win 9-18. This means last season’s bronze medallists are well placed to advance from Group D, and it’s perhaps also good news – for them – that they only have one more match at home… 2. Vince Vigvari had an outstanding match in Budapest, scoring four (from four shots), much to the sorrow of his fellow Magyars in the home side, Vasas, while Alvaro Granados also added four to his tremendous tally. Barceloneta were flying high once more, but coach Elvis Fatovic might not have been happy with the number of goals conceded. Their offence may have been clicking across the four rounds, producing 68 goals, but in the last two matches they’ve leaked 10 or more goals on both occasions. As Fatovic put it, had someone told him before the Marseille game that they would win by five, he would have gladly accepted it – but not in the way the match unfolded – 19-14. Beating Vasas 15-10 this round, which also secured the Spaniards a quarter-final round ticket, looked somewhat better, but not that much to fully satisfy the Croatian maestro. 3. The two other sides that secured their spot in the next round, Ferencvaros and Novi Beograd, are also looking strong. The Hungarian title-holders enjoyed another flawless win, this time in Tbilisi. Indeed, FTC are yet to play a tight match this season, as they’ve won all of their 13 matches across all competitions, with their ‘narrowest’ victory being by seven goals… Novi Beograd have had much closer battles, but in the Champions League they’ve also posted four wins. Interestingly, while having some struggles at home, they passed their two tests in Romania with flying colours – after taking down Oradea 9-15, they produced an almost similar blast in Bucharest, beating Steaua 8-15. 4. Montenegro’s clubs looked much stronger on Day 1, as Primorac almost stunned Olympiacos away, losing only after a shootout, and Jadran Herceg Novi kept pace with Marseille before they lost a tight endgame in France, trailing 13-11 at the end. Last week, playing the reverse fixtures at home, neither Kotor or Herceg Novi were anywhere close to gaining the three points. Olympiacos thrashed Primorac 18-9, while Jadran were no match for Marseille, whose defence has probably never been so effective, and Montenegrin goalie Petar Tesanovic was simply spectacular. The 3-9 win was a huge step for Marseille and a new record for the fewest conceded goals in a single game should be a massive confidence booster for them. 5. Savona’s Gianmarco Nicosia had an extraordinary game against Sabadell, as he saved five penalties – two in regular time and three in a row in the shootout. The Italians will be disappointed the game was decided by penalties, as they were dominating the match, with 40-year-old Pietro Figlioli leading the charge with five goals, until the final few minutes. Sabadell’s late comeback came during in a phase where they forced four exclusions to Savona’s none, as they managed to erase a three-goal deficit and take the match to a shootout. Nicosia’s saves denied Sabadell any more joy and they had to settle for a point. The Spaniards are now in danger of dropping down to the Euro Cup as they sit two points below leaders Savona, and the Italians finish the Group Stage with two home games. — Watch all the Champions League Men action live on www.euroaquaticstv.com and stay up-to-date with live results/tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play.

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Novi Beograd and Ferencvaros advance with ease

Great away wins sent Novi Beograd and Ferencvaros through to the men’s Champions League Quarter Final Stage on Wednesday night. Oradea edged out Hannover for the lonely home victory in the entire round and that could also be worth a QF berth for the Romanians. Jadran Split played splendidly in the second half in Kragujevac and the Croats are also well placed to advance to the next round. Group A Steaua Bucharest (ROU) 8-15 VK Novi Beograd (SRB)CSM Oradea (ROU) 10-9 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) Standings: 1. Novi Beograd 12pts, 2. Oradea 8pts, 3. Steaua 3pts, 4. Hannover 1pt Novi Beograd had no headaches on Wednesday night as they ticked their number one goal and advanced to the quarters in style. The game in Bucharest was never the same as the one they played on Day 1 in Belgrade. At home, NBG had to fight hard to down the Romanians in the final period, but away, Steaua had already crashed in the opening period as the Serbs sailed to a 2-5 lead. The home side had a better spell early in the second, netting two and killing a man-down, but their hopes were soon brutally dashed as NBG responded with a mighty 0-4 rush which included three splendid action goals and one from a 6 on 5, leaving no doors open for the Romanians to return to the game. The gap kept widening in the second half as the hosts struggled to stop the Serbian offence. While they lost 11-7 last month, this time NBG hit 15 and secured their QF berth with unexpected ease. Fellow Romanian side Oradea had better luck – though their task was easier as they faced bottom-ranked Hannover. Still, the Germans forced a big fight, just like they did two weeks ago in Belgrade, as they seem to have reached another level in composure. While on Day 1, Oradea had been dominating throughout (they won by one, but were ahead by a bigger margin for most of the game), this time they had to dig deep to land all three points. The first period went according to their plans as they managed to take a 4-2 lead. Hannover stepped up after the first break, killing a man-down which could have given the hosts a three-goal advantage, then Nikola Milardovic converted a 6 on 5 for 4-3. The Romanians missed two more man-ups and Luka Lozina scored a great goal two seconds from time to level the scores at 4-4. Levente Vancsik broke the ice for Oradea, with his 6m blast ending a 10-minute barren streak, and with a couple of fine finishes from Filip Gardasevic, the home side gained a 7-5 lead late in the third, but Waspo’s veteran Croat Hrvoje Benic pulled one back to prepare the ground for the ultimate battle in the last eight minutes. The local fans then watched on in horror as the Germans netted two from action in 31 seconds to go ahead for the first time in the match at 7-8. The post then saved Hannover in the next man-down, but they couldn’t double their lead and Ivan Gusarov’s blast from distance brought Oradea back to even. Both sides put away a man-up in quick succession, so it stood 9-9 with 2:45 remaining. The refs let the teams decide six on six in the remaining time and it was Gusarov who managed to hit the winner from the perimeter with 1:03 on the clock. Hannover managed two more shots, but both were blocked and the Romanians could then celebrate the victory, which puts them five points clear ahead of arch-rivals Steaua with two rounds to go. Group B Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 7-18 FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN)SPD Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) 11-14 Jadran Split (CRO) 1. Ferencvaros 12pts, 2. Jadran 8pts, 3. Radnicki 4pts, 4. Dinamo 0pts Though Dinamo managed to get back to even after two fast goals from FTC, the title-holders rolled on, adding three in a span of 95 seconds. Stylianos Argyropoulos put away the last two for 2-5 and Fradi went on launching quick counters in the second. After 2-2, the Hungarians staged a powerful 1-8 rush which practically put the game to bed by half-time. Watching the Magyars’ rock-solid defence, it was somewhat stunning to see Dinamo hit three goals from as many possessions at the beginning of the third, though Erik Molnar and Marton Vamos were on target too, so it still stood 6-12. Ferencvaros soon tightened their defence, with incoming reserve goalie Daniel Szakonyi closing the shop and showing that stopping penalties is not only the privilege of his fellow goalie Soma Vogel, as another 0-6 run followed. Dinamo could add only one goal, after 14 minutes, to reach the same number they produced in Budapest on Day 1, though FTC scored two more as they stopped at 18. Radnicki and Jadran did not hold back anything in the opening quarter of the big evening match in Kragujevac. It was a classic Serbian v Croatian duel with a lot physicality, huge blasts, great action goals, converted man-ups, and also missed ones. Jadran took the lead from time to time, but the home side replied almost immediately on each occasion – at least until 4-4. Dusan Banicevic’s extra-man goal gave the Croats a 4-5 lead at the end of an action-packed first quarter. Radnicki’s response was delayed, but it arrived after a little more than three minutes into the second, as Dusan Vasic’s magnificent lob made it 5-5. Jadran needed just 21 seconds to take back the lead thanks to Ivan Zovic’s left-handed blast from the perimeter. The script continued as after an exchange of 6 on 5s goals, Nikola Jaksic buried a penalty to level the scores for the 7th time in the game, 58 seconds before half-time. Then came the first ‘break’ by Jadran, they scored back-to-back goals for the first time, Zovic finished off an extra, then the Serbs missed their 6 on 5 and a loosened defence left enough space

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Barceloneta advance, Olympiacos deliver under pressure

Barceloneta became the first team to reach the Quarter Final Stage of the men’s Champions League after another convincing win, this time over Vasas in Budapest. Marseille’s defence had a tremendous evening, holding Jadran to just three goals to return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats. Olympiacos delivered under pressure, two weeks after their home defeat to Savona, as the bronze medallists from last season thrashed Primorac in Kotor. Savona were on their way to claiming three more points in an away match, only to blow a three-goal lead in the last few minutes in Sabadell – but at least they won the shootout. Group C Vasas Plaket (HUN) 10-15 Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP)PVK Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) 3-9 CN Marseille (FRA) Standings: 1. Barceloneta 12pts, 2. Marseille 6pts, 3. Jadran 3pts, 4. Vasas 3pts On the opening day, Vasas suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Barceloneta, and the 18-7 thrashing was their worst defeat in their long history in the top tier cup. Less than three minutes into the game, the long shadows of that day seemed to reappear as Barceloneta scored from their first three possessions. With 2:19 to go still in the first period, it was 1-5, same as on Day 1, and Vasas collapsed after that. It happened differently this time. Though the script was not dramatically altered but Vasas could find the back of the net a couple of times and trailed 5-10 at half-time. The second half was even, in the pool and on the scoreboard too, though Barceloneta’s win was never in danger as the hosts could never cut inside four goals. The Spanish charge was led by Alvaro Granados and Vince Vigvari who netted four apiece. The win secured Barceloneta’s spot in the Quarter Final Stage and they need a point to finish as group winners. Later on Tuesday evening, Marseille played the perfect game in Herceg Novi. While the French were impressive in offence in the first three rounds, which was no surprise with the tremendous quality they have, their defence never started clicking. They have conceded 43 goals so far, which is not the best stat for a team vying for some bigger success in this event. Then came their rematch with Jadran, and Marseille were absolutely overwhelming. Their 0-4 opening set the tone and the Montenegrins never recovered from the shock. Aleksandar Ivovic, the most experienced player among the hosts, scored from the perimeter early in the second, but there was no follow-up. Instead, Thomas Vernoux blasted one in immediately, Jadran missed two man-ups and a bit later Andrija Prlainovic added another one for 1-6. Though the home side also did well in defending in the third, they couldn’t push the ball behind fellow Montenegrin goalie Petar Tesanovic and a penalty goal further expanded the gap by the end of this quarter. Two minutes into the fourth it really looked bad at 1-9, indeed Jadran could only score a lonely goal in 26 minutes. Then they struck twice in 71 seconds, but no more – Marseille not only won, but in this match they set a new record in the Group Stage for holding the opposite team to the fewest goals. And with two home matches in hand, they have a strong chance to make the cut. Group D Primorac Kotor (MNE) 9-18 Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)KEIO Sabadell (ESP) 11-11 (2-3P) RN Savona (ITA) Standings: 1. Olympiacos 8pts, 1. Savona 8pts, 3. Sabadell 6, 4. Primorac 2 After their embarrassing loss to Savona at home, Olympiacos played under pressure in Kotor against Primorac – the team which had almost upset the Greeks on Day 1 and were a good shot away from winning the match, first in regular time, then in the shootout. This time, Olympiacos left no room for doubt as they stormed to a 0-3 lead and even though Luka Murisic put Primorac on the scoreboard with 21 seconds to go, Konstantinos Genidounias fired one from distance with 0:02 on the clock for 1-4. The Montenegrins had a better spell early in the second, netted back-to-back man-up goals, killed a 4 on 6 and had a chance to go even, but missed the shot. Next came the Greeks and in a span of 1:45 minutes they practically decided the match. Four possessions, four action goals, and that closed down the contest. Dimitrios Dimou also scored one in the dying seconds for 3-9 and Andro Buslje sent the ball home from the Greeks’ first 6 on 5 in the third, so Olympiacos staged a 0-6 run. It was halted but only temporarily as last season’s bronze medallists scored five more goals in this period too and stopped at 18 at the end. The other clash in Sabadell offered a lot more excitements. Indeed it turned into a thriller despite Savona looking really strong for the majority of the game. The Italians managed to build a massive 4-8 lead early in the third as their veteran sniper, 40-year-old Pietro Figlioli never stopped launching rockets – he’d already blasted four at this stage. Sabadell still fought on and came back to 8-9, though Gianmarco Nicosia stopped a second penalty during the hosts’ surge. Sabadell even had a man-up to equalise but missed it while Figlioli buried his fifth 36 seconds from time for 8-10. After some heavy battling, Luca Damonte scored his third to expand the Italians’ lead to three goals and even though there was still 4:44 minutes to play, Savona looked too strong. But they couldn’t add any more in the remaining time, while Sabadell, despite missing two man-ups, managed to score the last two and also hit one from action. Kanstantin Averka’s equaliser came 22 seconds from time, as Savona forced an extra five seconds from time but Figlioli’s ball was blocked so the outcome was left to penalties. Nicosia carried on his momentum, after stopping two in regular time, he went on saving the first three and at 0-2, Savona had to convert

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Champions League Quarter Final spots up for grabs on Day 4

The first three teams may land in the Quarter Final Round after Day 4 of the men’s Champions League Group Stage. All FTC, Barceloneta and Novi Beograd need is a win – though the three favourites face tough away tests. The hunt for the remaining QF spots is just intensifying and for this reason, the other matches promise extremely tough battles. Men’s Champions League Water PoloFixtures, Day 4(CET times shown) Group A (Wednesday) 19.15 Steaua Bucharest (ROU) v VK Novi Beograd (SRB)21.00 CSM Oradea (ROU) v Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) Group B (Wednesday) 19.15 Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN)20.00 SPD Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) v Jadran Split (CRO) Group C (Tuesday) 18.15 Vasas-Plaket (HUN) v Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP)20.00 Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) v CN Marseille (FRA) Group D (Tuesday) 18.15 Primorac Kotor (MNE) v Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)18.15 KEIO Sabadell (ESP) v RN Savona (ITA) Novi Beograd just have to beat Steaua to secure their berth in the Quarter Final Round and this looks like an achievable target, even in Bucharest. The Serbs have enjoyed a great run so far in Group A, and also posted fine results recently in other competitions, like an away win over arch-rivals Radnicki in the Regional League. Steaua, meanwhile, have dropped valuable points in their two home matches, blowing two-goal leads in the dying minutes and gaining three points in the shootouts, instead of six. This doesn’t bode well for the Romanians against the group-leader. At the same time, Oradea may go five points clear ahead of their local rivals by beating Hannover. The Germans showed some strength in Belgrade, but they have only one point and this upcoming tie in Oradea is their very last chance to keep their slim chance alive of finishing as runners-up. Title-holders Ferencvaros should also reach safe waters by adding three more points in Tbilisi. However, the Hungarians have to be focused, as two weeks ago Radnicki almost fell to the enthusiastic Dinamo team. Indeed, Fradi have been overwhelming so far this season – they are yet to play a close match as their smallest victory was a 7-goal win in Kragujevac and also in their domestic championship… Radnicki and Jadran Split will play the big match of the day where there is a lot at stake – if either side takes three points it would gain them a tremendous advantage in the race for the runners-up position. Since their encounter in Split was decided by penalties, we can expect another thrilling clash in Serbia. The scenario is the same in Group C. Barceloneta are heavily fancied to win in Budapest against Vasas which would send the Spanish through. In the other match, both sides are targeting second place and Jadran and Marseille may have an equal chance to go through. But winning this tie would shift the balance towards the victor, for sure. Unlike in the other three groups, Group D cannot be any more chaotic. Savona’s brilliant win in Piraeus turned everything upside down and Olympiacos now face an extremely tough test in Kotor. The Montenegrins almost surprised the favourites on the opening day and even though they were unable to gain wins in their home matches, the pressure is massively on the Greeks. And the same goes for the battle between Sabadell and Savona. Though Sabadell opened their campaign with a great away win in Savona, the Italians claimed back-to-back away victories ever since, and if they can carry on that momentum, that would a tremendous boost for them to make the cut. Facts and Figures, Day 4 Group A Steaua Bucharest (ROU) v VK Novi Beograd (SRB)STE: 7-11 NBG (a), 8-8, pen: 5-4 Hannover (h), 13-13, pen: 6-7 Oradea (h)NBG: 11-7 Steaua (h), 15-9 Oradea (a), 10-8, Hannover (h)Head-to-head: 0-3Day 1: 7-11. 2023-24: 7-19, 5-12 CSM Oradea (ROU) v Waspo 98 Hannover (GER)ORA: 11-10 Hannover (a), 9-15 NBG (h), 13-13, pen: 7-6 Steaua (a)HAN: 10-11 Oradea (h), 8-8, pen: 4-5 Steaua (a), 8-10 NBG (a)Head-to-head: 1-1 (2d)Day 1: 11-10. 2016-17: 5-12, 11-11 (in QR3). 2014: 9-9 (QR1) Group B Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN)DIN: 7-16 FTC (a), 10-16 Jadran (h), 9-10 Radnicki (h)FTC: 16-7 Dinamo (h), 12-5 Radnicki (a), 18-9 Jadran (h)Head-to-head: 0-6Day 1: 7-16. 2021-22: 7-14, 10-16. 2020-21: 11-15, 4-11. 2019-20: 10-15 SPD Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) v Jadran Split (CRO)RAD: 10-10, pen: 3-5, Jadran (a), 5-12 FTC (h), 10-9 Dinamo (a)JAD: 10-10, pen: 5-3 Radnicki (h), 16-10 Dinamo (a), 8-19 FTC (a)Head-to-head: 1-3 (1d)Day 1: 10-10, pen: 3-5. 2022-23: 10-10, 11-13. 2021-22: 8-9, 13-10 Group C Vasas-Plaket (HUN) v Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP)VAS: 7-18 Barceloneta (a), 13-11 Marseille (h), 6-14 Jadran (h)BAR: 18-7 Vasas (h), 16-8 Jadran (a), 19-14 Marseille (h)Head-to-head: 0-1Day 1: 7-18 Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) v CN Marseille (FRA)JAD: 11-13 Marseille (a), 8-16 Barceloneta (h), 14-6 Vasas (a)MAR: 13-11 Jadran (h), 11-13 Vasas (a), 14-19 Barceloneta (a)Head-to-head (CL): 2-1Day 1: 11-13. 2017-18: 7-6, 9-7 (QR3).2019 Euro Cup Final: 8-9, 7-7 Group D Primorac Kotor (MNE) v Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)KOT: 12-12, pen: 7-8, Olympiacos (a), 12-18 Savona (h), 11-11, pen: 3-5 SabadellOLY: 12-12, pen 8-7, Primorac (h), 15-8 Sabadell (a), 9-10 Savona (h)Head-to-head: 0-1Day 1:12-12, pen: 7-8 KEIO Sabadell (ESP) v RN Savona (ITA)SAB: 12-10 Savona (a), 8-15 Olympiacos (h), 11-11, pen: 5-3 Primorac (a)SAV: 10-12 Sabadell (h), 18-12 Primorac (a), 10-9 Olympiacos (a)Head-to-head: 1-0Day 1: 12-102021-22, Euro Cup QF: 13-13, 10-10, pen: 15-16 — Watch all the Champions League Men action live on www.euroaquaticstv.com and stay up-to-date with live results/tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play

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Champions League Water Polo Matchday 3 –  Five Talking Points

1. In the good old days, Savona had two magnificent runs in Europe’s top water polo club competition. They reached the final in 1992, but Jadran Split – who they faced home and away over two legs – beat them to the trophy, as the Croats won 21-10 on aggregate. In 2006, they reached the Final Four, where Jug Dubrovnik edged them out by a fingernail, 9-8, in the semis and they then lost the bronze medal match. Ever since, the Italians haven’t had much luck, as they’ve never reached the Group Stage in the newly-shaped Champions League – though they’ve had some fine seasons in the Euro Cup, winning in 2011 and 2012, and they were runners-up two years ago. With Recco gone, they’ve inherited Italy’s wildcard spot and even though their opening clash wasn’t successful as they lost to Sabadell at home – in the following rounds they proved their quality. First they demolished Primorac in Kotor (12-18), then came the big bang, a 9-10 victory over Olympiacos. In Piraeus, let us add – and this is a big thing. The pool of Olympiacos never promises much hope for visiting teams, even the mighty Recco found it hard to gain points there.  Remember, Ferencvaros’ lonely loss in last season’s 41 matches – and still the only one till date – came in Piraeus in the Quarter-Final Round last spring. 2. The difference couldn’t have been any greater between the two matches played in the same pool, Komjadi in Budapest, against teams named Jadran this week. On Tuesday, FTC won by nine against Jadran Split, then 24 hours later, Vasas lost by eight to Jadran Herceg Novi. The title-holders are absolutely like monsters in their own pool. Fradi have handed out two nine-goal defeats at home, to Dinamo, and now to the Croatians, and thrashed Radnicki by seven in Kragujevac. On Day 3, after a balanced first half, they blew away Jadran Split 12-4 in the second, with a 6-0 rush in the third period (rather 8-0 with the two goals scored at the end of the second period). And they hit 18 against Marko Bijac, one of the best goalies in the world. Croatian water polo gurus are still checking it, but so far they couldn’t find any match where Bijac conceded 18 goals in regular time… 3. If FTC-Telekom have been in formidable form since the season started, what should we say about Zodiac Barceloneta? While Fradi’s goal count stands at 46 in the Champions League, the Spaniards have already netted 53 – 17.6 per game. They kicked off their campaign by setting the single-game scoring record for this season with 18 goals, against Vasas, only to better this on Day 3 against Marseille, where they scored 19 (and produced 16 in their away game in Herceg Novi). For some reason, the great mix of international and French stars at Marseille haven’t shown much consistency with their defending. First, they conceded 11 at home, but managed to beat Jadran, then they received 13 against Vasas and lost, now came 19 more, despite bringing a top Montenegrin goalie, Petar Tesanovic, on board. Something isn’t quite clicking and they need to find out the reason why, or they may get into trouble. 4. Should Primorac and Steaua miss the cut at the end of the Group Stage and have to settle for the Euro Cup eight-finals, instead of playing in the CL Quarter-final Round, they would probably recall a couple of badly played man-ups in recent rounds. Primorac led 11-12 and had a man-up in the last minutes in Piraeus on the opening day – but couldn’t score, Olympiacos equalised later and won in the shootout. On Day 3, in their home match against Sabadell, the Montenegrins had a 6 on 5 at 11-11, with 1:23 on the clock, and after a time-out – they missed it and lost on penalties again. Steaua have had even more nightmares. In two home matches, they’ve held a two-goal advantage, but couldn’t bag six points. Instead, they conceded two against Hannover in the last 40 seconds, with the last one with 0:01 on the clock, though they won the shootout – then again, were 13-11 up on Day 3 against Oradea, only to concede twice in the last 70 seconds, this time the equaliser came with 0:04 to go. Even more painfully, their home arch-rivals beat them in the shootout. So, four points dropped by Primorac, three by Steaua, which at this level, they may find it really hard to recover from in the remaining three rounds. 5. It’s interesting to see how the Serbian sides fare – especially with freshly-crowned Olympic champions in their respective line-ups. On Day 3, both Novi Beograd and Radnicki gained three points, though neither win came easily – despite the expectations. NBG scored five goals in the opening period and four in the last one – but only one in the middle two, so they had to take a bumpy road to down Hannover at the end. Still, it was a win, their third one, and now they enjoy a four-point advantage and need three more points to secure their spot in the next stage. Radnicki almost had to deal with more embarrassment in Tbilisi. They had to come back from 5-1 down, but their experienced warriors, including Paris 2024 hero Nikola Jaksic, saved the day for them, so they are very much in the hunt to make the next round. — Watch all the Champions League Men action live on www.euroaquaticstv.com and stay up-to-date with live results/tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play.

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