The two favourites in Group A, Olympiacos SFP and VK Novi Beograd face off in the big match of day two in the Champions League Quarter Final Stage this week. Title-holders FTC Telekom Waterpolo visit RN Savona in the most exciting game in Group B – the Hungarians are still unbeaten this season and are looking to extend their 32-0 record across all competitions.
Group A
Tuesday 25th February 2025
(CET times shown)
20.00 Olympiacos SFP (GRE) v VK Novi Beograd (SRB)
Day 1 Results: OLY 12-11 v JAD (away) – NBG: 15-14 v CNM (home)
Head-to-head: 2-1 (1d)
2023-24: 9-6 (F4, bronze). 2022-23: 11-13 (F8, QF). 2021-22: 12-12, 12-9
This is going to be huge – definitely the Match of the Day. The two favourites kicked off their respecitve QF campaigns with narrow wins, and three more points would put either side in a really comfortable position.
Last time out they played for the bronze medal in Malta and they are determined to reach the Final Four once more, though this group seems to be really balanced – which also makes this match absolutely crucial.
Olympiacos are fresh form lifting the Greek Cup last weekend, where they enjoyed some easy cruising, but on the European stage only harder challenges await.
They were vulnerable at home in the CL Group Stage, a bit surprisingly – so in the quarters they might not be able to afford to drop points in Piraeus.
Novi Beograd just lost for the first time in 20 matches, before their QF Stage opener against Marseille, and they’ve had a second defeat since, to fellow Serbian side Radnicki Kragujevac, in the Regional League.
After that first loss, they bounced back to beat Marseille, but this week’s clash is going to be an even harder task. The Serbs do have the depth and quality to play another big match though against their good old Greek buddies.
20.00 CN Marseille (FRA) v VK Jadran Split (CRO)
Day 1 Results: CNM 14-15 v NBG (away) – JAD: 11-12 v OLY (home)
Head-to-head: 2-0
2023-24: 14-12, 17-10 (2017-18, Euro cup QF: 11-10, 7-5)
The other two sides are the favourites to reach the Final Four, again, however, the opening day’s narrow losses showed that Marseille and Jadran may have a chance.
Still, coming away with no points after Day 1, a win this Tuesday is a must to keep up with the big guns.
Marseille have always been a lot more dangerous at home and this might give them the edge this time. At the same time, Jadran won a big match against Radnicki Kragujevac in the Regional League last weekend, in a shootout, which is the best way to prepare for such a big game – while Marseille may lack the similar tough tests before their CL encounters.
Group B
Wednesday 26th February 2025
(CET times shown)
20.00 RN Savona (ITA) v FTC-Telekom (HUN)
Day 1 Results: SAV: 17-11 v CSM (away) – FTC: 18-10 v CNAB (home)
Head-to-head: never met in CL
Not too much changed since the first round – Fradi just extended their winning streak to 32 matches this season. Whoever comes their way, they sweep them aside, as it happened to Barceloneta in the Komjadi pool on Day 1, and last weekend to Szolnok.
Their Hungarian rivals are ranked second in the league, still, the match stood 2-12 after three periods in Szolnok – and words to describe their domination are running out.
Still, playing in Savona is anything but an easy challenge for the Hungarians. Though Savona had two defeats in the Italian league – to Recco and Brescia – they usually do a clean job in their other matches, just like they did in Oradea on the opening day.
If they could come up with a near-perfect performance, they may force Fradi into a tough match.
20.00 Zodiac CNAB (ESP) v CSM Oradea (ROU)
Day 1 Results: CNAB: 10-18 v FTC (away) – CSM: 11-17 v SAV (home)
Head-to-head: 2-0
2012-13: 15-5, 12-8 (eight-finals)
Barceloneta will be looking to bounce back from their heavy defeat in Budapest. The Spaniards haven’t experienced any similar beatings in recent years, so to lose by eight goals and conceding 18 was painful.
Winning this week would be the best cure for that and the draw has done them a favour as they face Oradea on Day 2 at home.
CNAB had only tougher challenges in the Group Stage as Oradea is arguably the bottom-ranked side in the power rankings of this stage. They conceded 17 at home from Savona, and the away match in Barcelona is an even more difficult mission.
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