October 2025

1. Quite unusually, both Spanish teams fell on Day 2 of the men’s Champions League Group Stage. After a glorious summer for the country’s national team – crowned with a World Championship gold (just three months after their World Cup triumph) – both CNAB and Sabadell suffered defeats – and both in rather embarrassing fashion. Barceloneta rarely lose in their home pool – last season they won every match, including a shootout victory over FTC, which marked Fradi’s only defeat of the entire season. This time, however, they went down against CN Marseille, a team they had beaten in the previous two seasons. Not now, though, as the French side enjoyed a fantastic evening, storming to a 5-9 lead late in the third period. CNAB showed some quality to come back to 11-11 in the fourth, but Thomas Vernoux’s powerful strike sealed the win for Marseille – a satisfying form of redemption for the French side after their devastating 9-19 thrashing by CNAB in the bronze medal match of the Final Four in June. The other Spanish participants, Sabadell, crashed in Hannover. The Germans had lost all six of their matches last season (one in a shootout) and later bowed out of the Euro Cup Eight Finals with a loss and a draw against Brescia. Practically, they didn’t win a single game on the European stage last year. Facing Sabadell didn’t seem to promise a breakthrough, especially after their heavy 9-20 defeat in Marseille on Day 1. But the Germans had other ideas. After trailing Sabadell for three and a half quarters, they finally took the lead with 1:43 remaining – their first since going up 1-0. And they never gave it away. In fact, a blistering 4-0 run in the last three minutes secured a well-deserved victory. Sabadell now need to reassess their game management, they had been 9-7 up against CNAB on the opening day before collapsing to a 0-7 run, and now this 0-4 sequence has dented their hopes of advancing to the next round. At the same time, Waspo can be proud to have returned to winning ways on the European stage, especially considering they couldn’t even overcome their Romanian rivals last season in their group – Steaua and Oradea – a task that seemed far easier than beating Sabadell. 2. The two Croatian v Serbian duels on day two ended with a “national tie” 1-1. While Novi Beograd downed Jadran in Split, Mladost managed to take the upper hand against Radnicki. The match in Split was another fine example of how ‘fewer sometimes means more.’ While the Croatians took a shot with whatever they could grab, as the good old saying goes in water polo, the Belgrade players were far more effective despite making 16 fewer attempts. The total number of shots stood at 41-25, on target, it was 20-15 – and the scoreboard showed 7-10 at the end. Goaltending proved crucial. While seasoned veteran Marko Bijac delivered five saves, young Milan Glusac posted 13. He outsmarted Jadran’s top marksmen, as Dusan Matkovic finished with 1/7, Zvonimir Butic with 1/8, and Loren Fatovic with 0/5. That’s 2-for-20 in total – not the way Jadran can expect to win Champions League matches. The game in Zagreb was different. It turned into a load-and-shoot contest with 32 goals scored in total. Once again, Radnicki’s defensive weaknesses were spectacularly exposed – they conceded 16 against Vasas and now 17 against Mladost. Serbian teams usually do better than that, but Radnicki still need time to fine-tune the team after adding several new players. Their individual scoring skills have never been in question (they hit 17 on Day 1, now 15), they just need to get their defensive system working. However, they don’t have much time for that – with Olympiacos also in this group, Radnicki cannot afford another defeat if they want to advance. 3. Olympiacos claimed all three points in Budapest with unexpected ease against Vasas, winning by a 10-goal margin 5-15. The Hungarians had scored 16 against Radnicki in Kragujevac on Day 1 – this week they were limited to just five goals, which is quite astonishing, especially in this new water polo played on a 25m field. Singling out one reason never tells the whole story, still, there is one statistic that truly stands out – Emmanouil Zerdevas’ performance in the Olympiacos goal. He recorded 17 saves from 22 shots for a 77.3% save rate, one of the best goalkeeping efforts in recent years. Zerdevas’ magic neutralised Vasas’ most lethal weapons. In Kragujevac two weeks earlier, Tamas Gyarfas, Peter Szalai, and Bence Batori had combined for 11 goals. This time, the trio failed to score from 11 attempts in total. 4. Ferencvaros were a weak team that had just avoided relegation in the previous season, when they suffered their worst-ever defeat in the Hungarian league – a 17-6 massacre in Eger. This happened on 10 December 2014. Eleven years on, Fradi are the undisputed kings of Europe, winners of the last two editions of the Champions League, a team with a 90-2 win-loss ratio over the past two seasons and already on an 11-0 run in the current one. Still, FTC conceded 17 goals again, this time in Brescia, which is somewhat extraordinary despite their comfortable 21-17 victory. Coach Balazs Nyeki attributed this partly to the extraordinary atmosphere the locals usually create in their pool, which boosts the Italians’ morale and puts pressure on both the opposing side and the officials. He praised both his players and the home team, which is in a reshaping process, noting that Brescia never tired of chasing the favourites – even though Fradi opened the match with a 0-5 blast. Brescia managed to penetrate the Magyars’ defence, but the visitors’ class ultimately prevailed as they withstood the pressure in the most professional way. 5. Primorac Kotor caused one of the big upsets in the qualifications by claiming a shootout win against Novi Beograd in Belgrade, which landed them in

CN Marseille produced the standout result of Wednesday night, claiming a spectacular 11-12 away win over Zodiac CNAB in Barcelona to take home three vital points. In Zagreb, Mladost edged Radnicki in a 32-goal thriller, 17-15, while Waspo 98 Hannover stormed back with a late 4-0 run to sink Sabadell after trailing for much of the match. Elsewhere, reigning champions FTC fired in 21 goals in Brescia but looked somewhat vulnerable at the back, conceding 17 in an entertaining end-to-end contest. Champions League MenGroup Stage, Day TwoWednesday 28 October Group A HAVK Mladost (CRO) 17-15 SPD Radnicki (SRB) Group C AN Brescia (ITA) 17-21 FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) Group D Zodiac CNAB (ESP) 11-12 CN Marseille (FRA)Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) 16-14 KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP) Group A HAVK Mladost (CRO) 17-15 SPD Radnicki (SRB) Mladost and Radnicki – arguably Croatia and Serbia’s top clubs – produced another epic 32-goal clash between the fierce rivals, with the hosts proving slightly sharper in the decisive moments. The opening period set the tone with a thrilling back-and-forth battle, the lead changing hands several times before Angelos Vlachopoulos buried a last-second penalty to pull Radnicki level at 5-5. Ante Vukicevic converted a six-on-four to open the second quarter, and after Mladost killed a man-down, Josip Vrlic struck from the centre to give the Croats their first two-goal lead. It didn’t last long. Andrija Prlainovic, who had missed a penalty earlier, made amends by scoring from an extra. Mladost then squandered three straight man-ups, and Strahinja Rasovic punished them to tie it 7-7 with two minutes left. Petar Jaksic added another from a man-up, then the hosts wasted their fourth six-on-five, which left Radnicki 7-8 ahead at half-time. Luka Bukic ended Mladost’s six-minute scoring drought early in the third with a simple six-on-four conversion, then lifted the home crowd further with a brilliant counter after surviving a man-down. Sava Randjelovic briefly silenced the fans with a neat extra-man goal, but Mladost’s Russian duo – Konstantin Kharkov and Ivan Nagaev – netted back-to-back man-ups within 26 seconds to make it 11-9. Rasovic responded from a long possession, but Kharkov hit back instantly, and then Prlainovic and Dusko Pijetlovic fired in to pull Radnicki level again at 12-12. Both sides then missed a six-on-five, but with 11 seconds left in the quarter, Vukicevic’s fierce shot restored Mladost’s advantage. The fourth quarter began with both defences stepping up – big saves and timely blocks kept the scorers quiet for over three minutes until the veteran Olympic champion Prlainovic levelled at 13-13. Andrija Basic’s persistence paid off on Mladost’s second attempt of a dying man-up, but Vlachopoulos answered immediately from Radnicki’s next extra. As always in clashes between Serbian and Croatian clubs, the finish hinged on man-up efficiency. Ivan Buljubasic buried Mladost’s next opportunity, before a miss at both ends. Then Viktor Rasovic broke free on a counter to make it 15-15 with 1:38 remaining. Each team earned one final man-up. Mladost executed perfectly after a time-out, with Bukic firing home from an open shot. Radnicki, however, failed to make the most of their chance, as after some poor passing, their final shot just beat the shot clock, but not the block, 31 seconds from time. The Croats made the most of their last possession, not just burning up the time, but finding Vrlic in space to seal a 17-15 victory with seven seconds remaining. Group C AN Brescia (ITA) 17-21 FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) Five minutes in, Ferencvaros looked to have killed any early suspense with a ruthless 0-5 opening burst. All five came from action as they snuffed out Brescia’s man-up opportunities – the title-holders were at their dominant best. Once Brescia finally broke through and survived two man-downs, Filippo Ferrero lifted the home crowd with a stunning lob past Soma Vogel with the final throw of the quarter. Vlado Popadic then converted their first extra-man chance of the second to complete a 3-0 run, hauling the Italians back into the game at 3-5. FTC hit back quickly, though, as Krisztian Manhercz and Stylianos Argyropoulos fired in back-to-back rockets within 55 seconds to restore control at 3-7. The next four minutes turned into an offensive showcase, with both sides trading goals in rapid succession – seven in total – as Brescia kept pace to trail 7-10 at half-time. FTC’s Vendel Vigvari struck early in the third from distance, but Brescia responded with two quick goals in a minute to make it 9-11, sending the crowd into full voice. The champions, however, didn’t crack under pressure. Argyropoulos answered from distance, and that feat was repeated twice more in the next few minutes. Each time Brescia threatened to close the gap, FTC replied instantly, never allowing the hosts to get within a single goal. That resilience proved decisive, as when Brescia faltered, Gergo Fekete punished them with a six-on-five strike to restore a four-goal cushion at 12-16. Alessandro Balzarini cut it back to three, but FTC’s defence held firm, and Manhercz sprinted clear on the counter to make it 13-17. It was a thrilling third quarter – ending 6-7 – capped by late drama as two FTC exclusions in the dying seconds gave Brescia a six-on-four to open the fourth. Yet even that chance fizzled out, as former Brescia star Edoardo di Somma produced a crucial block before Argyropoulos added another clinical finish for 13-18. From there, the outcome was beyond doubt – few teams recover from five goals down against the reigning champions with under seven minutes to play. Still, Brescia’s young side fought valiantly, netting 17 against Ferencvaros – no small feat – but they couldn’t get any closer than three in the closing stages, as Argyropoulos and Fekete proved unstoppable. The Greek sharpshooter finished with a perfect 7/7, Fekete added 4/4, and together they powered another statement victory for the Magyars. Group D Zodiac CNAB (ESP) 11-12 CN Marseille (FRA) Marseille produced a brave and brilliant performance in Barceloneta’s home pool – a venue where

The men’s Champions League roared back into action on Tuesday night, and the first four games of day two didn’t disappoint. VK Novi Beograd stole the headlines with a commanding 10-7 away win over VK Jadran Split, Olympiacos outclassed Vasas in Budapest, and Oradea earned their first points against Primorac Kotor. Meanwhile, at home in Italy, Recco were in ruthless form – dismantling Jadran Herceg Novi with ease and sending the visitors back to Montenegro empty-handed. Champions League MenGroup Stage, Day TwoTuesday 28 October Group A Vasas Plaket (HUN) 5-15 Olympiacos SFP (GRE) Group B VK Jadran Split (CRO) 7-10 VK Novi Beograd (SRB)Pro Recco (ITA) 16-7 Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) Group C CSM Oradea (ROU) 14-7 VPK Primorac Kotor (MNE) Group A Vasas Plaket (HUN) 5-15 Olympiacos SFP (GRE) Olympiacos showed no mercy in Budapest, needing only two quarters to build a decisive lead. Vasas would have required a near-perfect performance to stay competitive, but an early penalty miss and missed man-ups signalled they would face an uphill battle. Their six-on-five conversions had kept them afloat in Kragujevac on the opening day against Radnicki, yet this time they converted only their third extra-man chance, which was just enough to momentarily halt Olympiacos’ surge. After 1-1, the Greeks drilled in four quick goals – Gergo Zalanki scored from a man-up, Dimitrios Dimou fired in two from distance within 45 seconds, and captain Konstantinos Genidounias buried a penalty to make it 1-5. Soma Lakatos then converted Vasas’ lone man-up of the period. The Magyars tightened their defence after the break, killing two man-downs, but they still couldn’t close the gap. Midway through the second, Dimitrios Nikolaidis struck from the centre, followed by two more missed man-ups for Vasas. Zalanki then converted a penalty, and Ioannis Fountoulis added a goal from action 44 seconds later, setting the half-time score at 2-8. The same pattern continued after the restart. Vasas struggled to breach the Greek’s disciplined defence, but after enduring a 10-minute scoreless stretch, they finally netted three in the third. But Olympiacos stayed relentless, outscoring the hosts in a lively quarter to lead 5-13. With little left to play for in the fourth, Vasas couldn’t find another goal, while Olympiacos eased into power-saving mode. However, they still added two more strikes to seal a dominant 5-15 away victory. Group B VK Jadran Split (CRO) 7-10 VK Novi Beograd (SRB) It was a special Jadran edition of the play Much A Do About Nothing – the Croats fired 41 shots to Novi Beograd’s 25, yet still lost as the Serbs’ defence proved far more composed. Milan Glusac was tremendous in goal once again, posting 13 saves, and with strong defensive help, only 20 of Jadran’s 41 attempts even reached the target. Jadran opened well, establishing a 2-0 lead and killing three man-downs before NBG finally broke the ice with a penalty after five minutes. Mislav Curkovic hit back immediately for 3-1, but Vasilje Martinovic converted a man-up, and seven seconds before the buzzer, Luka Gladovic buried another penalty to level it at 3-3. Two missed man-ups hurt the Croats early in the second, as it was the Serbs who ended up socring first. Milos Cuk fired in from action, then just 36 seconds later Filip Jankovic doubled NBG’s lead – with that goal forming part of an impressive 0-4 Serbian run. Jadran were struggling to find a way through the Serbian defence, but they finally ended their almost 10-minute drought with 36 seconds left in the half. Each side added one more before the break, leaving it 5-6. Jadran’s defence shone early in the third, denying NBG in three straight six-on-fives, but they failed to capitalise. Midway through the period, Gladovic struck again from close range. Marcus Berehulak pulled one back on a man-up, but Goran Grgurevic soon restored NGB’s two-goal cushion with a finish from action for 6-8. Trailing by two, Jadran pushed to close the gap, but Glusac and his defence stood firm. NBG killed three man-downs in the first four minutes, and another huge block denied Berehulak on Jadran’s fourth extra-man chance of the quarter. Then Martinovic fired home from an almost impossible angle in a fading man-up, sealing the contest with 1:10 remaining. After a steal, Dusan Trtovic finished off a counterattack for 6-10, and a late Jadran consolation goal meant little – or rather, nothing. Once again, NBG sailed away with three points, while Jadran, after two defeats, now need something close to a miracle to reach the next round. Group B Pro Recco (ITA) 16-7 Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) After a year’s absence from the Champions League, Recco returned in trademark fashion – delivering another dominant home performance and handing Jadran m:tel a firm knockout blow. Herceg Novi’s Vasilje Radovic may have opened the scoring after 28 seconds, but Recco’s response was emphatic – five straight goals and five killed man-downs – and it was only the first period. Alvaro Granados and Luke Pavillard were on fire as the Italian giants went on adding more and built a massive 8-2 lead by half-time, while Jadran’s Daniil Merkulov missed a penalty in the last seconds. Recco were even more devastating early in the third, as Giacomo Cannella’s rocket was backed up by a nice double from Granados – three goals in less than two minutes made the points well and truly safe at 11-2. The Italians’ hold on the game eased slightly in the closing stages, with both teams scoring five goals each. In total, Recco struck eight times in both halves, while Jadran managed just seven overall – a clear reflection of the gap in quality between the two sides. Group C CSM Oradea (ROU) 14-7 VPK Primorac Kotor (MNE) Oradea delivered a stunning win over Primorac, as the Montenegrins never came close to challenging for the points in this one. The Romanians set the tone early with a 3-0 burst before Nemanja Vico converted a man-up after five minutes. Oradea responded swiftly, with

A couple of Croatian versus Serbian derbies, a tough away game in Brescia for title-holders FTC, and a replay of last season’s F4 bronze medal match between CNAB and Marseille are the highlights of day two in the men’s Champions League. Group A(Local times shown) Tuesday 20.30 Vasas-Plaket (HUN) v Olympiacos SFP (GRE) Head-to-head:Never met in CL Vasas forced a surprisingly close match in Kragujevac against Radnicki on day one, and now they face an even bigger challenge – a clash with Olympiacos. The Greeks opened their campaign with a fine win over Mladost, and considering the depth and quality of their roster, Olympiacos will start as the overwhelming favourites in Budapest. Vasas would need another perfect performance, though their stunning win against Sabadell in the qualifications, and their recent encounter with Radnicki, demonstrated how they are likely to stage further upsets. Wednesday 20.30 Mladost Zagreb (CRO) v Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) Head-to-head: 0-2 (CL)2024: 8-9 (QR). 2013: 6-12 (QR) This round will deliver two huge Croatian versus Serbian classics, one in Zagreb and the other in Split. With all the summer additions, this match might be considered the ultimate battle between the respective nations’ strongest sides. Though it is also true that both teams need a bit more time to form a really strong bond, as both looked a bit raw in their opening matches. There will certainly be no shortage of firepower at both ends, so the goalkeepers are likely to be a decisive factor in this game. Last season, Radnicki ousted Mladost in the Euro Cup semis, and in their recent encounters in the Regional League, the Serbs also took the upper-hand. Mladost got the closest to a win in their January rendezvous, but at the end fell in the shootout. Since the Croats kicked off their CL campaign with a loss in Piraeus, this is a must-win game in their home pool in order to retain a realistic chance of grabbing one of the two qualifying spots. Group B(Local times shown) Tuesday 20.30 Pro Recco (ITA) v Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) Head-to-head: 4-02017-18: 10-5, 15-5. 2011-12: 10-8, 14-9 Even during their loss in the Super Cup final, the newly shaped Recco team already seem to have the edge to achieve something big in this new season. Naturally, fine-tuning is ongoing, since half of the team have been changed over the summer, but the outstanding skills of their key players should help them to overcome problems in any match. After a fine victory in Belgrade, they are ready to deliver their first home win. However, the young but extremely talented side of Jadran m:tel have nothing to lose and this approach might help the Montenegrins to cause some headaches for the Italians – still, the hosts are the favourites here. Tuesday 20.30 Jadran Split (CRO) v Novi Beograd (SRB) Head-to-head: 0-62024-25: 7-15, 8-17 (QF Round). 2023-24: 10-15, 11-15. 2021-2022: 12-17, 7-14. In this extremely tough group, this game is already crucial. Both teams lost in the opening round and a second loss would push either of them to the brink of elimination. That would be a bitter pill to swallow, as both were regular participants in the Quarter-Final Stage in the last two years, and NBG finished runners-up last June. However, after losing a handful of key players, the Serbs were also freed from pressure. They are no longer the big team with big ambitions – still, one should never expect a Serbian team to head into the battlefield with a white flag in hand. NBG may also rely on the past as they have regularly triumphed over the Croats. In fact, across all competitions, they lead 12-1 against Jadran. Group C(Local times shown) Tuesday 21.30 CSM Oradea (ROU) v Primorac Kotor (MNE) Head-to-head: 0-12021: 6-8 (QR) Primorac did really well against Brescia in their opening home game, as they were only a shot away from winning the match, but instead they conceded a late goal and left their pool empty-handed. To stay in contention, they desperately need to make up those lost points in Oradea where the Montenegrins are the favourites. Still, the Romanians may force a close clash at home – their surprise advancing to the QF Stage was founded by their fine home performances last season. Wednesday 20.30 AN Brescia (ITA) v FTC-Telekom (HUN) Head-to-head: 4-7 (2d)2023-24: 8-9, 9-11 (QF Round). 2022-23: 8-4, 6-10, 8-9 (5-8th). 2021-22: 8-8, 6-8, 12-14 (bronze). 2020-21: 10-7, 9-6, 12-14 (semi-final). 2018-19: 8-8, 10-5 Ever since Fradi returned to the big stage, these two sides have barely avoided each other every year. Indeed, in three consecutive seasons they played three matches, as after the group ties, their roads crossed once more in the Final Eights. Last time out, Brescia failed to make the Group Stage, but now they are back and ready to sting even the biggest teams, especially at home. Still, if a team are aware of how tough an away tour can be in Brescia, it is Fradi, as they have lost three times there before finally winning their last encounter in Italy in 2024. Comparing the teams’ composition, the trends are opposing – while FTC have grown stronger and stronger over the last two years, Brescia have let a series of key players go, and they are now building a new side with mostly talented local guys. This autumn, Brescia pose the biggest threat to Fradi – still, it’s a nice but almost impossible mission to catch the Hungarians, who were 90-2 in the last two seasons, and they’ve already gone 10-0 this fall (in official competitions). Group D(Local times shown) Wednesday 18.30 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP) Head-to-head:Never met in CL Sabadell had a couple of promising spells at home against local arch-rivals CNAB in the opening round. If the Spaniards want to have a shot at grabbing the second spot in the group ahead of Marseille, beating Hannover is a must for them. And the Germans looked a bit

1. While returning giants Pro Recco eventually downed Novi Beograd with ease (8-12), it was strange to see how the top shooters on both sides faltered in this match. Alvaro Granados is usually given free rein wherever he plays. Two years ago, while playing for Novi, he could easily take seven or eight shots – or more – in any game. Now, back at the familiar 11 April swimming pool in Belgrade, he took 10 attempts, but scored only twice. Paired with Francesco Di Fulvio’s 0-for-5 performance, it could have been a bad night for the Italians, but their defence more than compensated, keeping NBG’s top shooters under constant pressure. Indeed, Milos Cuk has had far better nights (2/9), and NBG’s hero from last season’s final in Malta, Nikola Lukic, couldn’t find the net at all – missing all six of his shots. All in all, it was Recco who had the upper hand. NBG’s goalkeeper Milan Glusac kept the Serbs in the game with 15 saves, as Recco fired 10 more shots on goal than their rivals (27-17). The young keeper’s performance prevented Granados & Co. from achieving an even larger margin of victory. 2. When it came to shooting precision, several key players across different teams struggled, with their poor form clearly affecting the outcomes of their matches. Yusuke Inaba’s 1-for-7 showing didn’t help Primorac Kotor in their crucial opener against Brescia. The Japanese star’s final miss was the most painful – it came at 13-13 in a promising position. Moments later, it was Brescia’s Montenegrin, Vlado Popadic, who netted the winner for the Italians. Jadran Split usually rely heavily on Dusan Matkovic, Zvonimir Butic and Loren Fatovic to finish off their attacks. These three accounted for 23 of the team’s 35 shots against Herceg Novi, but combined for only seven goals. Matkovic and Fatovic both went 3-for-9, while Butic was just 1-for-5. It’s no surprise they couldn’t match the balanced team effort of the other Jadran – Herceg Novi – who had 10 different players on the scoresheet. All but one of their players took more than four shots, yet they were far more efficient in attack and secured three valuable points. 3. In training games, teams often agree to play man-ups instead of taking penalties – using the opportunity to practice 6-on-5 situations. However, the Olympiacos players might want to prepare more for their 5m chances, especially whenever they are about to face a Croatian side. Back in April, the Greeks missed four penalties against Jadran Split in the Quarter Final stage in Piraeus: Ioannis Fountoulis – saved. Konstantinos Genidounias – saved. Dimitrios Dimou – saved. Gergo Zalanki – saved. Those misses cost Olympiacos the regular-time win – and ultimately their Final Four spot – thanks to another outstanding performance by Marko Bijac. Fast forward to now: Mladost Zagreb visited Olympiacos, and it happened again. Alexandros Papanastasiou – saved. Zalanki – post. Genidounias – post. The only difference? Olympiacos managed to win this time. But being 0-for-7 in penalties against Croatian opponents in 2025 is certainly cause for concern. 4. Krisztian Manhercz was the MVP of the 2025 Final Four. Dusan Mandic earned that honour the year before. Stylianos Argyropoulos was FTC’s top scorer in last season’s Champions League. Yet the title holders decided to rest all three on Day 1 to help them recover from injuries – along with Soma Vogel, Fradi’s first-choice goalkeeper since 2017, a three-time Champions League and four-time Super Cup winner. Some might have thought that without them, Fradi would struggle against Oradea in their CL opener. Instead, it turned into another show of power. Last year, their Quarter Final stage clash against the Romanians in Budapest ended 20-10; this time it finished 19-11. One fewer, one more – it hardly matters. Winning so decisively without four star players, while mainly fielding 18-22-year-old talents, was a statement of strength from the defending champions. 5. The all-Spanish duel between Sabadell and CNAB proved once again that in the Champions League, anything is possible. Just weeks ago, in neutral venues, Barceloneta had dismantled their domestic arch-rivals in two finals – 17-10 in the Catalonian Cup and 16-6 in the Spanish Super Cup. But in their CL opener, played in Sabadell’s pool, it was a completely different story. At home, in front of their fans – and with neutral referees on the deck – Sabadell not only kept it close but, early in the third period, managed to create a sense that CNAB might be in trouble. Fran Fernandez has been part of hundreds of high-stakes matches as a player, but as CNAB’s new head coach, this was his first Champions League game. Both he and his team faced a real test. Down 9-7, CNAB responded brilliantly, staging a 0-7 run as they tightened their defence, raised their offensive level, and enjoyed a bit of luck at crucial moments. At the end of the day, it was a fine reminder that the Champions League remains a truly special competition. Watch Champions League action live on European Aquatics TV For full Champions League fixtures, results, stats and tables, click here Stay tuned to the European Aquatics Water Polo social media accounts for more news and live updates on Facebook and Instagram Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

A strong first half from Recco was enough for the Italian giants to sink Novi Beograd in Belgrade in the opening round of the men’s Champions League Group Stage, while Zodiac CNAB finally broke Sabadell’s resistance in the third quarter to claim all the points in a pulsating Spanish derby. Elsewhere, AN Bresica edged past Primorac Kotor with a last-minute winner, and FTC sent out a youthful squad against CSM Oradea, but the result was just the same – a comfortable home victory for the title-holders. 2025/26 Champions League MenGroup Stage, Day 1Wednesday 15 October 2025 Group B VK Novi Beograd (SRB) 8-12 Pro Recco (ITA) Group C FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) 19-11 CSM Oradea (ROU)VPK Primorac Kotor (MNE) 13-14 AN Brescia (ITA) Group D KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP) 12-16 Zodiac CNAB (ESP) Group B VK Novi Beograd (SRB) 8-12 Pro Recco (ITA) Novi Beograd were able to climb back after Recco’s devastating start, but the Italians’ strength prevailed in the end. Recco didn’t hold back anything, and it was a question of time when the Serbian defence would crash under their tremendous pressure. It happened after three and a half minutes and in 80 seconds two more came. This had an impact on NBG’s levels, as they missed two more man-ups (after failing to put away the first two soon after the start) and with 1:11 from time, Max Irving buried a penalty for 0-4. However overwhelming Recco’s performance was, the Serbs managed to settle for the second period, shutting out the Italians for almost five minutes, while they could pull two back to have a fresh start to the game. Francesco Condemi hit one from action to halt NBG’s comeback and a bit later Irving put away an extra to reset the four-goal gap, so at half-time, Recco led 2-6, despite two of their best shooters, Francesco di Fulvio and Alvaro Granados struggling to outsmart the hosts’ goalie Milan Glusac. The third quarter began in a similar way to the second, but Recco’s offence didn’t click and this time the Serbs managed to stage a 3-0 run to cut the gap to a single goal. Still, Recco soon had the answers, after Granados’ attempt was saved, Nicholas Presciutti buried the second shot in a six on five, and Matteo Iocchi Gratta also netted a man-up 1:37 later for 5-8. The Serbs missed their six on fives before the break, and a third one early in the fourth before Vasilje Martinovic pulled one back from an extra. And NBG had a fifth man-up in a row, but wasted that one too, which was crucial, as Andrea Fondelli hit one from action and added another one from their next possession for 6-10, which closed down the contest. A further 34 seconds later, Condemi converted an extra and a couple of late goals of NBG were only late boosters for the fans before they headed home. Group C FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) 19-11 CSM Oradea (ROU) No Argyropoulos, no Mandic, no Manhercz, no Vogel – no problem. Perhaps FTC-Telekom are the only team as of now that have enough depth to field a side which is still strong enough to down most of their potential rivals in a Champions League match. At least half of the team were kind of Fradi Jr, though at the beginning, the title-holders also relied on their seasoned greats as the Romanians stunned the locals a bit as they jumped to a 1-3 lead. What came next was nothing new, a 10-1 blast from the Hungarians. What might have been a bit surprising was that they were able to deliver such a performance without the world class players listed above. The Romanians were constantly denied in man-ups, as the Hungarians’ defence started clicking, and up front their individual skills also began to dominate. It was also a fine team effort as seven players managed to score in the first half, including 18 year-old Bator Pajan, who hit his first-ever Champions League goal 18 seconds from time, after a really brave move. So, even with this young line-up, Fradi had already completed their mission by half-time, as they led 11-4. The second half was more balanced, mostly because the level of defending dropped at the home end. After conceding four in the first half, they let in seven in the second, though they still added eight and stopped at 19 at the end. In the absence of their scoring machines, an unusual hero led FTC’s charge, as Zsombor Vismeg, who on other days is a tough brick in their defensive wall, hammered in five goals. Group C VPK Primorac Kotor (MNE) 13-14 AN Brescia (ITA) Brescia kicked off their campaign by bagging three really important points in Kotor. It was a toe-to-toe battle, where the Italians seemed to get the upper hand after three periods, but they needed some heroic defending before they could score the winner at the end. Two fine action goals from Brescia opened the match, but Kotor replied with three straight hits, then Mateo Giri put away an extra, so it was even after eight minutes. The visitors took the lead again in the second, and they went 4-5 up, but Primorac came up with another 3-0 blast and had a six on five to build a three-goal lead, but Japanese Yosuke Inaba’s ball was well blocked and Tomasso Gianazza finished off Brescia’s next attack. Instead of 8-5, soon it was 7-7, and Alessandro Balzarini wasn’t bothered that his first attempt was saved, as he let the ball fly from the perimeter after the corner to level things up 56 seconds before the half-time buzzer. Trends didn’t change at the beginning of the third, as the lead was changing hands again, Luka Murisic buried an extra, then Balzarini scored twice in a span of 43 seconds, but Marko Mrsic equalised from a six on five for 9-9. Midway through this quarter it was still 10-10, then Vlado Popadic buried a penalty, then

SPD Radnicki were forced to come from behind to eventually sink a determined and spirited Vasas Plaket in Kragujevac on the opening night of the new Champions League season. Captain Andrija Prlainovic helped rescue the Serbians with six goals, while there were also wins for Olympiacos SFP (despite some more penalty woes against Croatian opposition), Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi, and CN Marseille. 2025/26 Champions League MenGroup Stage, Day 1Tuesday 14 October 2025 Group A SPD Radnicki (SRB) 17-16 Vasas Plaket (HUN)Olympiacos SFP (GRE) 13-9 HAVK Mladost (CRO) Group B Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) 14-11 VK Jadran Split (CRO) Group D CN Marseille (FRA) 20-9 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) Group A SPD Radnicki (SRB) 17-16 Vasas Plaket (HUN) A bit unexpectedly, Radnicki and Vasas produced an epic 33-goal encounter. The Magyars played a great match before the Serbian favourites turned the tide late in the third and prevailed in the fourth. It was Vasas who set the tone, as they roared into a 1-4 lead in just four minutes, before the hosts found some rhythm and came back to 4-5 early in the second. Still, Vasas held on, and they constantly found the holes in the Serbian wall, especially from the lefties’ position where Tamas Gyarfas and Soma Lakatos hit a series of goals in the first half. And just when Radnicki seemed to gain some footing, after Angelos Vlachopoulos and Strahinja Rasovic levelled the score in a span of 38 seconds for 7-7, their rivals responded with back-to-back man-up goals and also killed a man-down in between for 7-9. However, the Serbian rocket-providers didn’t back off, captain Andrija Prlainovic put away an extra and Rasovic, having played for Vasas in the past two seasons, made it even once more, 39 seconds before the middle break. The Magyars weren’t done, though, and in three minutes they regained a two-goal lead and had a ball to go up by three, but it was Vlacholpoulos who hit the next one from action. Next came a rare scenario, a double exclusion, followed by two more from the hosts and Gyarfas made no mistake in the five on three for 10-12. Nikola Murisic pulled one back from an extra, and then the Serbs got rolling as they managed to add two more from their next two possessions. Again, Rasovic and Prlainovic offered their skills and experience to complete the 3-0 run in 85 seconds. A block denied Vasas’ next extra, while Rasovic made it 14-12 with 0:32 on the clock and here the break just saved the Hungarians from sinking further. Though they defended well in the first man-down early in the fourth, soon Vlachopoulos netted one from action, boosting Radnicki’s run to 5-0 after 10-12 and it looked as if the home side had taken firm control against their tiring opponents. Bogdan Durdic converted a dying man-up for Vasas, but Prlainovic hit another one from the perimeter immediately. Peter Szalai pulled one back with 3:14 from time, then they survived a man-down, but hit the post next and Prlainovic’s sixth goal of the evening, again from action, put an end to the match at 17-14, with 1:50 to go. The Magyar lefties managed to add two late goals, but the second arrived 25 seconds from time and the Serbs didn’t leave room for further surprises. Group A Olympiacos SFP (GRE) 13-9 HAVK Mladost (CRO) Olympiacos overcame Mladost’s dream-like 0-3 start and three missed penalties to land three crucial points in a tough opener. The Croats needed three minutes to score two from six on fives and netted a fine one from the centre to take a 0-3 lead. Olympiacos’ new coach, Elvis Fatovic, a Croat, called a time-out and it helped. The hosts’ Hungarian pair, Daniel Angyal and Gergo Zalanki hit two in 34 seconds to bring their team back in the game. The remaining four minutes saw only missed chances before Zalanki brought the Greeks back to even from a man-up, though a minute later Alexandros Papanastasiou’s penalty was well saved by Ivan Marcelic. Konstantinos Genidounias then converted another extra to put Olympiacos ahead for the first time, but Konstantin Kharkov buried a penalty for 4-4. This went wrong once more at the other end, as this time Zalanki hit the post from the 5m line, but Mladost failed to take advantage, missing back-to-back extras. That proved to be a costly mistake, as Zalanki quickly erased his bad memories by blasting two in the last 37 seconds to make it 6-4 at half-time. And in a span of 47 seconds, Olympiacos doubled the gap, Zalanki sent the ball home from a six on five, followed by Genidounias’ action goal. Since falling 0-3 behind, the Greeks staged an 8-1 rush and that did the damage. After two more goals apiece, Genidounias missed another penalty – just a reminder: Olympiacos went 0 for 4 in penalties against Croatian side Jadran Split last April – and Mladost managed to halve the difference at 10-8. Still, Zalanki stepped up again to boost his team’s morale with another rocket from the perimeter, his sixth of the night, with 0:03 on the clock for 11-8. And when Angyal put away another extra soon after the restart for 12-8, the slim hopes of Mladost were dashed again. Ante Vukicevic pulled one back, but a bit later Nikolaos Gkillas reset the four-goal gap and at 13-9, with five minutes remaining, the Croats knew deep down this game was over. They were unable to add more, while the Greeks didn’t take any risk – and just took all three points at the end. Group B Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) 14-11 VK Jadran Split (CRO) Just 30 minutes after Mladost fell in Piraeus, the other Croatian side also left the pool empty-handed – though Jadran Split also faced a tough opener away from home. The Croats also had a great start and led 1-3, but Danilo Stupar buried a six on four and while Loren Fatovic missed an extra, Srdan

The stage is set for another thrilling season of Champions League action, as the Group Stage kicks off this week across the continent. The first big battle takes place in Piraeus, as Olympiacos clash with a legendary team, HAVK Mladost, who return to the top table after six long years. There are several other thrilling match-ups, including Pro Recco’s visit to Novi Beograd’s pool, where the Italians beat the Serbs in back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023. The playing format remains the same as last season, as the top two from each group will advance to the Quarter-Final Stage, while the rest will continue in the Euro Cup. Champions League, Group Stage, Day 1(Head-to-head results refer to Champions League era since 2014) Tuesday 14 October Group A 18.00: Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v HAVK Mladost (CRO) Head-to-head: 2-02018-19: 14-6, 13-8 The first game of the Group Stage promises fireworks right away. Olympiacos want to leave behind the miseries of last season when their home pool struggles prevented them from making the Final Four, which was an utter disappointment in a year when the club celebrated its centennial. Now the Greeks are back, after adding a couple of fine players to their roster over the summer, and they also hired elite coach Elvis Fatovic, who achieved great results with Barceloneta. Fatovic’s first big task cannot be any tougher, as he has to lead his new side against his fellow Croatians. Mladost finally made the cut and returned to the big stage where the legendary team had enjoyed tremendous success in the past, amassing seven titles, though their very last triumph dates back to 1996. Fielding almost half of the Croatian national team to face off the bulk of the Greek national team (and two Hungarian aces), this match is going to be a great opener for the season. Tuesday 14 October 20.30: SPD Radnicki (SRB) v Vasas Plaket (HUN) Head-to-head: never met in CL Radnicki have just been getting stronger since last season. They brought home Serbian two-time Olympic champion Andrija Prlainovic from Marseille and added two Olympic gold medallists from the Paris winners, Sava Randjelovic and Strahinja Rasovic – who played for Vasas last season. This pair of greats alone might make the difference on Tuesday evening against the Hungarians, but one should not forget that star Greek playmaker Angelos Vlachopoulos also moved to Kragujevac from Belgrade. Radnicki, coached by Uros Stevanovic, who led Serbia to the unexpected Paris triumph a year ago, now looks as strong as in 2014 when they reached the Champions League final in Barcelona. In contrast, Vasas appear to have lost some quality, still, they outplayed Sabadell in Spain in qualification, which should serve as a warning for the Serbs that the Hungarian league’s runners-up are still a force. Tuesday 14 October Group B 18.30: Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE) v VK Jadran Split (CRO) Head-to-head: 2-4 (1d)2023-24: 14-16, 10-11, 2020-21: 14-11, 10-15. 2019-20: 12-6. 2018-19: 9-11, 6-6 This match-up also promises some excitements on the opening day. The two powerhouses of the Adriatic coast share a long history, filled with a lot of games, not only in the Champions League, but also in the Regional League. And their matches from last season offer little support for predictions, as both sides clinched two wins apiece. The Montenegrin champions seem to be a fine mix of extremely talented youngsters – who played an outstanding championship in Oradea and won the U18 Europeans – and seasoned greats of the senior national team, plus two Russian-born aces, Dmitri Kholod and Daniil Merkulov. The Croatians are about to have another shot at reaching the Final Four, which they have failed to reach in the last two seasons, despite bringing more and more local heroes to Split, including the national team’s outstanding goalie Marko Bijac. In the Group Stage, they had great games before they crashed in the Quarter-Final Stage. Now, making the next round is challenging in the company of Herceg Novi and Recco, so this opening match is one of the most crucial ties in the entire Day 1 programme. Wednesday 15 October 20.30: VK Novi Beograd (SRB) v Pro Recco (ITA) Head-to-head: 0-42023-24: 10-10 (pen: 4-5), 7-15. 2022-23: 11-14 (final). 2021-22: 13-13 (pen: 3-4, final) The two sides clashed for the title in back-to-back years in NBG’s pool. In 2022, Recco barely forced a shootout, where they edged out the Serbs to retain the trophy, while the following year the Italians left no chance for the home side. The season after that, NBG managed to save the match to a shootout but were beaten badly in Sori and ended up fourth in the F4. Looking at the line-ups now, it’s hard to see another tight encounter, even in Belgrade. The NBG project looks to have taken a different path after the team lost their third CL final in June. What was a star-studded roster a couple of years ago, now it is a newly-shaped side where their young aces will lead the charge – as only a couple of seasoned veterans stayed on board. Recco are also rebuilding, but the 11-time winners have recruited recognised stars. They finally brought in Spanish superstar Alvaro Granados, who’ll play together with Italy’s best players and other greats, such as USA’s Max Irving, who were hand-picked by coach Sandro Sukno for their respective positions. Just last Wednesday they offered a glimpse of their strength as they pushed Champions League winners FTC to their limit in an amazing Super Cup final. This was a clear message: Recco are all set to play for the title after they devoted last year to rebuilding their financial foundations. Group C Wednesday 15 October 18.30: FTC-Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) v CSM Oradea (ROU) Head-to-head: 2-02024-25: 18-7, 20-10 Last season, the Romanians bumped into FTC when the title-holders hit their finest form in the entire season. In those weeks, at the beginning of the Quarter-Final Stage, the Hungarians thrashed CNAB 18-10 at home, killed Savona in Italy and

After a dramatic and entertaining night on Wednesday in Budapest, here are some interesting facts following the men’s 2025 Super Cup final. European Aquatics also spoke to the main protagonists who produced a thrilling match, where Champions League winners FTC-Telekom edged out Euro Cup victors Pro Recco 15-14. Interesting facts FTC-Telekom have become the masters of European finals, as since the team returned to the big stage in 2017, they have contested 11 finals and won nine of them. 2017 Euro Cup Final W2017 Super Cup Final L2018 Euro Cup Final W2018 Super Cup Final W2019 Champions League Final W2019 Super Cup Final W2021 Champions League Final L2024 Champions League Final W2024 Super Cup Final W2025 Champions League Final W2025 Super Cup Final W FTC’s Hungarian star Krisztian Manhercz offered another masterclass in shotmaking in the Super Cup final. After hitting six in the Champions League final against Novi Beograd in June (which also earned him the MVP award), his four goals were paramount in FTC-Telekom’s victory against Recco. For a while, Recco were the nemesis of Ferencvaros. They beat them in three consecutive Final Eights – in the final in 2021, in the semi-final in 2022 and in the quarter-final in 2023. This changed in 2024, when Fradi dethroned them in the Champions League final, preventing Recco from a historical run of four consecutive titles. And on Wednesday, the Magyars halted another mighty run of the Italian giants, as Recco won their last nine Super Cup finals, but the historical 10th triumph was delayed as the green army downed them in a fantastic battle. Champions League winners are now 22-1 up in the Super Cup finals since the event resumed in 2002. Indeed, it was FTC-Telekom that managed to break the trend in 2018, upsetting Olympiacos in the same Komjadi pool in Budapest, winning the shootout. Fradi have six Super Cup trophies now, but only their last three followed their Champions Legaue wins, in the first three occasions they won as underdogs (before 2018, they triumphed in 1978 and 1980). It’s only October and the season is just beginning, but FTC-Telekom have already landed two trophies. Ten days ago they lifted the Hungarian Cup (it was their 8th straight win), and now they retained the Super Cup. Across all competitions, this was their 9th title in a row, and with six more wins in this current season, their win-loss stands 94-2 since 2024. Quotes from the players Krisztian Manhercz, player, Ferencvaros (scored 4 goals) “There were great expectations about the high levels the teams would produce for this game, and I can tell you that those expectations were met. It’s a rarity to reach that quality in October, and I do think everyone in the pool enjoyed this game, as it was a truly fantastic battle. The lead was changing hands from time to time, there were a lot of emotions. Small things separated us and I’m happy that we came out on top at the end.” Gergo Fekete, player, Ferencvaros (scored 4 goals) “I can’t really tell you what made the difference today, perhaps that we’ve been together since 3-5-6-8-10 years, depending when the respective players joined Fradi. I think both teams knew everything about the others, as we had a lot of joint practices recently and we took advantage of that. It was great that we had such a strong start, and we managed to get their goalie off balance early on, which was important. It was a great game, a great tactical battle of the two coaches and I’m really happy that we could win this match. Sport is crucial, as what you achieved in the past, doesn’t matter tomorrow, you have to prove your quality every day. I’ve learned that in my career and we all did, that’s how we could play these matches with the proper motivation.” Marton Vamos, player, Ferencvaros (scored the winner) “We had great matches with Recco in New York, where we also had toe-to-toe battles. Obviously, these two teams are the best in the world right now, and today we were a bit better. This was a fantastic celebration of water polo, in front of packed stands, no seats remained unoccupied and I’m sure everyone enjoyed this game. These are the matches why you started to play water polo and why you put in the hard work on grey weekdays. Of course, we cannot win every time everywhere, but as of now, our run is still on, and we enjoy these days when we lift another trophy.” Francesco di Fulvio, captain of Pro Recco “We leave this evening with some regret, because even if we’ve only been together for forty days, at Pro Recco there’s always the obligation to try to win. It was a great match, with many mistakes but also many positives. We changed eight players (since last year), and this was the first real match of the season, only the second official one after Salerno, and it wasn’t easy. “Credit to our opponents – they were under more pressure than us, playing at home. We walk away with our heads held high and are thinking about the three trophies we can still lift. “The moment that might have changed the game was perhaps the counterattack at the end of the third quarter that could have put us two goals ahead. We start again tomorrow, the road ahead is long, and in Italy the teams will be even more fired up against us.” Watch the Super Cup final replay on European Aquatics TV Stay tuned to the European Aquatics Water Polo social media accounts for more news and live updates on Facebook and Instagram Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

In a fantastic match of twists and turns, FTC-Telekom edged out Pro Recco 15-14 to lift the Super Cup trophy for the sixth time in their illustrious history. The Hungarian giants successfully maintained the Champions League winners’ tight grasp on the famous trophy, as this was the 22nd victory for the European champions in the last 23 finals. Watch all the highlights from Budapest at the bottom of this article. 2025/26 Super Cup MenWednesday 8th OctoberBudapest FTC Telekom (HUN ) 15-14 Pro Recco (ITA) The game started at a frantic pace, and after a quick exchange of man-up goals, by Szilard Jansik and Alvaro Granados, Fradi also buried their second as Dusan Mandic fired another one in for 2-1. Then Soma Vogel made a save in Recco’s second six on five and Gergo Fekete blasted the first one from action at the end of a counter. Vogel added another save and Fekete came up with another action goal, this time from the centre for 4-1. Recco missed another extra, but Fradi also failed to put away theirs and Francesco di Fulvio’s fierce shot crossed the line, bouncing in off the bar – and approved by the new VAR cameras. Krisztian Manhercz’s joined the party from the perimeter, which led to the quick substitution of Tommaso Negri, but Gianmarco Nicosia couldn’t stop Manhercz’s next shot either – and between those two strikes, Rino Buric delivered an extra and finished it off from close. The Italians failed to take a shot in their next six on five, though Nicosia made his first stop soon and Granados cut the gap to 6-4 with a fine finish after a counter. Both sides missed their last man-ups before the first break. Recco were on two from six, and of a greater consequence, Dusan Mandic got his second major foul, which wasn’t the best piece of news for the Champions League winners. Defences stepped up in the second quarter after the 10-goal opening period. It took three and a half minutes to see the first goal – home players hit the bar twice in man-ups, Recco also missed one, then Lukas Durik found some space in the centre to shave off one more, but Fekete immediately replied, also from action for 7-5. Rino Buric also blasted one from the centre – well, at least from 4m, like Durik – then Vogel stopped di Fulvio’s shot in man-down, while fellow Italian, Edoardo di Somma finished Fradi’s extra with a brilliant lob, to reset the two-goal gap. Not for long, though, as Buric put away another one from the centre, so Recco scored three from the same position in 101 seconds (all one-timers, after nice feeds from the wing). Still, Fekete was on fire, and netted his fourth from a man-up, but he couldn’t add another one from the next six on five, while Giacomo Cannella managed to find a tiny hole from the perimeter 31 seconds from time and Recco still had time to hit the equaliser after a turnover foul, as Francesco di Fulvio finished off the counter for 9-9. Fradi drew first blood in the third, when Mandic outmuscled Cannella in the centre, but the Italian quickly erased that memory with a fine distant shot. And soon Recco took the lead for the first time, when Granados put away an easy extra, since the sub-goalie Daniel Szakonyi was sent out. Manhercz buried FTC’s next too for 11-11, three minutes into the third. Fradi missed an extra, and Granados had a clear one-on-one, but Szakonyi did a brilliant steal swimming out to 6m or so. The goalies were delivering saves at both ends. With the tension at its peak, Francesco Cassia produced a moment of brilliance, lofting a magnificent lob to bring the score to 11–12. Fradi then squandered possession during a man-up situation, yet Szakonyi came to the rescue again, denying Recco a clear counterattack opportunity. Even so, the Italians pressed on, then FTC’s Jansik’s shot from the ensuing recounter rattled the post. With just 57 seconds remaining in the third, after a timeout, Marton Vamos delivered under pressure, converting a crucial six-on-five chance to level the match at 12–12. Recco responded immediately with a man-up of their own, but fortune turned against them as the post intervened once again. Then came a defining moment, as with only seven seconds left on the clock, Fekete earned a penalty. Up swam Manhercz, ice-cool under immense pressure, to bury the shot and send the Magyars ahead 13–12. For sure, water polo enthusiasts already felt sorry that only eight minutes remained from this amazing battle. Condemi opened the scoring with a buzzer-beater from a six on five, 55 seconds into the fourth – then Mandic beat the ref’s whistle as his shot just found the back of the net while an exclusion was called. Durik made it even, again from the centre, when he seemed to be out of position. Nicosia delivered back-to-back saves, then after a steal of the home defence he could deny Manhercz too when Sandro Sukno called his first time-out just in the middle of the period to let the legs and minds refresh. It almost worked, but returning Vogel made a big save on Granados in a man-down while Vamos finished off Fradi’s six on five for 15-14, with 3:17 to go. As unbelievable as it may sound in a game of offensive superpowers, it turned out to be the winner. Vogel had another big save in a man-down, then Mandic hit the bar from Fradi’s six on five, and Recco also missed an extra as the green defence worked brilliantly. No calls came in Fradi’s next possession on the centre-feed, but the clock was running down and when Fulvio sent the ball wide, only 25 seconds remained. The hosts burnt that with ease to open the gate to another night of wild celebrations. This was their sixth Super Cup win and the ninth final in a row across all competitions where they