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Trieste gets off to excellent start in Euro Cup; three thrillers on Day 1
Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:38:11 +0000
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There were several close encounters in the first round of the 2026 Euro Cup, but one derby quickly turned into a one-sided contest. Trieste and Barcelona […]
The post Trieste gets off to excellent start in Euro Cup; three thrillers on Day 1 appeared first on Total Waterpolo.
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There were several close encounters in the first round of the 2026 Euro Cup, but one derby quickly turned into a one-sided contest.
Trieste and Barcelona faced off in one of the day’s highlights. The teams were initially neck-and-neck in the opening minutes. But, in the second period, Trieste dominated. The Italians led 13:7 at halftime and eventually secured a 20:16 victory.
The other Italian club, Savona, a three-time Euro Cup winner, defeated Spandau 04 in Berlin with a score of 16:15, despite trailing by four goals in the first quarter.
One match was decided only after a penalty shootout; Vouliagmeni earned two points against BVSC Budapest, winning 20:19 after an 11:11 draw.
In Bucharest, a single goal separated the rivals even though Szolnok led throughout the game against Dinamo. The Hungarians barely saved three points, winning 16:15.
Jug, Solaris, Panathinaikos, and Sabac also began the season with home victories.
2026 Euro Cup, Round 1
GROUP A
Jug – Terrassa 16:12 (4:1, 3:4, 5:3, 4:4)
Jug : Susic 4, Pavlic 3, Mozara 2, Buslje 2, Zivela 2, Jokovic 1, Herceg 1, Jerkovic 1.
Terrassa: Bargallo 5, Ten Broek 2, Sabadell 1, Scott 1, Cuacos 1, Vlasco 1, Teclas 1.
Jug dominated in the opening minutes, taking a 4:0 and 6:2 lead in the first half. But, Terrassa halved its deficit before the middle break to 5:7. Mozara gave Jug a 3-goal lead early in the third period. Still, Bargallo replied with two quick goals and reduced the gap to 7:8. That was a “wake-up alarm” for the hosts, who netted four consecutive goals to jump to 12:7 in the 23rd minute. After that, their win wasn’t in danger.
Solaris – ASC Duisburg 15:10 (2:3, 5:5, 5:0, 3:2)
Solaris: Zvono 4, Mijic 3, Cubranic 2, Vlahovic 2, Pelicaric 1, Bulat 1, Akrap 1, Bajic 1.
ASC Duisburg: Simic 3, Seifert 3, Halb 1, Dolff 1, Gemalmazoglu , Metten 1.
ASC Duisburg, which is considered an underdog in Group A, stunned Solaris in the first half. The Germans led 2:0 in the first quarter, and had a 5:2 advantage early in the second period. The hosts leveled only in the 15th minute, when Niko Cubranic scored an action goal for 7:7. Still,52 seconds before the middle break, Kerem Gemalmazoglu put ASC Dusiburg in front once again – 8:7. However, Solaris ruled the field in the third period, which proved vital for the Croats’ win.
GROUP B
Trieste – Barcelona 20:16 (6:5, 7:2, 4:5, 3:4)
Trieste: Mezzarobba 5, Draskovic 5, Manzi 4, Petronio 2, Marziali 2, Podgornik 1, P. faraglia 1.
Barcelona: Daura 4, Prat 3, Van der Weijden 3, Watanabe 2, Goma 2, Ramon 1, Paul 1.
One of the derbies of Round 1 was decided already in the first half.
Trieste began one of the Round 1 derbies with a commanding 3:0 lead. However, Barceloneta managed to catch up with the hosts twice in the first quarter, leveling the score at 4:4 and then at 5:5. Just five seconds before the end of the first quarter, Mezzaroba scored to put Trieste ahead. In the second quarter, Trieste maintained their momentum, scoring three consecutive goals. By the 11th minute, they had extended their lead to 9:5. While Barcelona made efforts to close the gap, they only managed to reduce the deficit to three goals on two occasions (at 6:9 and 7:10). Ultimately, the Spaniards found themselves trailing by six goals at halftime. Vuk Draskovic capped off a strong half for Trieste by scoring the hosts’ 13th goal with a remarkable long-distance backhand shot, just two seconds before the end of the half, bringing the score to 13:7.
Barcclona was a better rival in the second half, but didn’t significantly reduced the gap, as Trieste controlled the match.
Dinamo B – Szolnok 15:16 (4:7, 4:3, 3:4, 4:2)
Dinamo Bucharest: Lutescu 5, Prioteasa 4, Chikovani 2, Mekshi 1, Radu 1, Cojocariu 1.
Szolnok: Zernivary 4, Krasznai , Kovacs 2, Bedo 2, Simon 1, Schmolcz 1, Vamosi 1, B. Szabo 1, Teleki 1, Zeman 1.
Szolnok didn’t shine, but it earned an away victory in Bucharest. The Hungarians quickly established a 4:0 lead. They held back all Dinamo’s comeback attempts during the first three quarters. The Romanians narrowed the distance to two goals several times during the first 24 minutes, but they couldn’t come closer. But they were persistent and continued chasing the visitors. In the middle of the fourth period, they finally cut the deficit to one – Prioteasa converted a man-up for 14:15. Immediately, Vamosi doubled Szolnok’s advantage. Two minutes and five seconds before the end, Lutescu added his fifth goal in the match, and only a goal separated the rivals again. However, Szolnok kept a minimal advantage in the last two minutes.
Vouliagmeni – BVSC 20:19 (1:3, 2:2, 5:5, 3:1, PSO 9:8)
Vouliagmeni: Te Riele 6, Chatzis 2, Spachits 2, Troulos 1.
BVSC: Batizi 5, Tatrai 3, Shushiashvili 1, B.Ekler 1, Meszatos 1.
For the third consecutive time, a Euro Cup match involving Vouliagmeni went to a penalty shootout. Two weeks ago, the Greeks lost to Crvena Zvezda and defeated Trieste in shootouts at the qualification tournament. Today, they secured two points against BVSC. The Hungarians led 4:1 in the 10th minute. Vouliagmeni was able to come back and went ahead twice in the third period (7:6 and 8:7). After the hosts’ eighth goal, BVSC netted three within 72 seconds and entered the final quarter leading 10:8.
Midway through the fourth quarter, BVSC was still two steps ahead of Vouliagmeni (11:9). Still, the Greeks managed to catch up with the Budapest-based side. Troulos scored an equalizer for 11:11 with 24 seconds to go. Vouliagmeni earned two points after nine rounds of penalty shots. In the 9th round, the hosts’ goalkeeper Andreadis saved a shot from Shushiashvili.
Panathinaikos – Buducnost 16:8 (4:2, 4:1, 4:4, 4:1)
Panathinaikos:Gkiouvetsis 5, Papasifakis 3, Banicevic 3, Skoumpakis 2, Chalyvopoulos 1, Papanikolaou 1, Chazigoulas 1.
Buducnost Podgorica:Da. Brguljan 4, Boskovic 2, Stevovic 2.
Panathinaikos, which was very active in this summer’s transfer market, controlled the match against Buducnost, a debutant on the European stage. The Greeks established a 3:0 lead in the first four minutes. At halftime, the “Green-Whites” led 8:3 and maintained that difference throughout the third period and didn’t let Buducnost come back into the game.
GROUP D
Spandau – Savona 15:16 (4:3, 2:2, 4:6, 5:5)
Spandau 04:Nagy 3, Caraj 3, Hofmann 2, Tkac 2, Kojic 2, Stamm 2, Culina 1.
Savona: Bruni 5, Figlioli 4, Leinweber 3, Occhione 2, Gullotta 1,A. Condemi 1.
Spandau got off to a flying start. After 03:17 minutes, they already had a 4:0 advantage. However, Savona recovered quickly. The Italians scored the last three goals in the first quarter and added one at the beginning of the second, so the sides were tied at 4:4 in the 10th minute. In the following minutes, Savona chased the Berliners. Spandau built a 2-goal lead twice in the middle two quarters (6:4 and 9:7). However, the finish of the third period belonged to Savona. The visitors scored four straight goals in the last three and a half minutes of this quarter. Young Hungarian Oliver Leinweber made it 11:9 with an extra player 21 seconds before the last break, but Culina replied immediately, also with a man-up, and Spandau trailed 10:11 before the final period.
Savona broke the hosts in the middle of the fourth quarter, producing a 3:0 run in 02:15 minutes. Veteran Figlioli opened the series from a six on five. Gullotta added another power-play goal. Three minutes before the final buzzer, Occhione found the net from a close-range shot to make it 14:10. But Spandau didn’t give in. They came very close to the rival with 36 seconds remaining, when Caraj narrowed the distance to 14:15. In the following possession, Figlioli sealed Savona’s win with his 4th goal. Spandau scored a consolation goal in the dying seconds.
Sabac – Steaua 11:9 (4:3, 2:2, 2:1, 3:3)
Sabac: Stojanovic 4, Macic 3, Barac 2, Gavrilovic 1.
Steaua: Vucinic 3, Georgescu 2, Jaukovic 2, Iudean 1, Fulea 1.
Steaua took the lead only once in the match, scoring their first goal just 25 seconds into play. However, Sabac quickly turned the one-goal deficit into a 2:1 lead. The game remained competitive until the final quarter. Steaua managed to equalize at 2:2, 3:3, and 5:5. Just 18 seconds before the halftime break, center-forward Gavrilovic gave Sabac a new lead at 6:5.
The hosts, led by Ognjen Stojanovic, extended their margin to three goals by the middle of the third period, making it 8:5. Despite this, Steaua fought back diligently, but Sabac’s defense held strong. In the 28th minute, Sabac again went ahead by three goals, at 9:6, but Steaua quickly reduced the deficit to one goal on their next possession.
At 2:46 remaining, Djordje Vucinic, who had played for Sabac a few years ago, scored during a man-up situation to narrow the gap to 8:9. Shortly after, the visitors had an opportunity to equalize with an extra player, but they missed the chance and paid for it. Aljosa Macic then scored for Sabac, bringing the score to 10:8 with 1:33 left in the match. In the remainder of the game, both teams exchanged goals, but Steaua did not get another chance to equalize.
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Recco and Brescia return to Champions League with away victories
Wed, 15 Oct 2025 20:23:41 +0000
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The Italian clubs got off to an excellent start in the 2026 Champions League, with both Serie A teams recording away victories in the first round […]
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The Italian clubs got off to an excellent start in the 2026 Champions League, with both Serie A teams recording away victories in the first round this evening.
As anticipated, Pro Recco defeated Novi Beograd in Belgrade in Group B. The young Novi Beograd team fought bravely throughout the match, but Recco’s early 4:0 lead set the tone for the rest of the encounter. The 2025 Euro Cup winner secured a 12:8 victory.
In the most thrilling match of the day, Brescia edged out Primorac in Kotor, earning a 14:13 win in Group C.
Both Pro Recco and Brescia returned to the Champions League this season after a one-year absence.
Title holder Ferencvaros, despite missing some key players, comfortably beat Oradea 19:11 in the first game of Group C.
In the Spanish derby in Group D, Sabadell hosted Barceloneta. The home team played exceptionally well and posed a challenge for Barceloneta. However, the visitors managed to secure a 16:12 victory, thanks to a dominant third quarter.
2026 Champions League, Day 1
GROUP B
Novi Beograd – Pro Recco 8:12 (0:4, 2:2, 3:2, 3:4)
Novi Beograd: Martinovic 3, Cuk 2, Gladovic 1, Trtovic 1, Urosevic 1.
Pro Recco: Condemi 3, Granados 2 Irving 2,Fondelli 2, Presciutti 1, Pavillard 1, IocchGratta1
Novi Beograd and Pro Recco have met five times so far. This evening, the difference in quality and experience between the two teams was considerable for the first time. That difference was evident in the first quarter. Pro Recco earned a 4:0 lead in the first eight minutes, scoring two goals from penalty shots, one with a man-up, and one from an action. The first period was, as it turned out, vital for Recco’s victory. Novi Beograd managed to cut the deficit to two by the middle of the second quarter, but the visitors shortly after restored a 4-goal lead.
The hosts’ goalkeeper Milan Glusac helped his team’s growing self-confidence with several excellent saves, and his teammates had become more and more dangerous in the attack.Novi Beograd came very close to Pro Recco in the 20th minute, when Milos Cuk scored from a nice lob for 5:6. Still, Presciutti replied immediately after, and Iocchi Gratta made it 8:5. The Belgrade-based team fought bravely until the end. Martinovic reduced the gap to 6:8. However, in the middle of the fourth period, Pro Recco netted three goals in 75 seconds (Fondelli 2 and Condemi 1), built a five-goal lead for the first time and practically sealed the victory.
Yesterday: Jadran HN – Jadran S 14:11.
GROUP C
Ferencvaros – Oradea 19:11 (4:3, 7:1, 3:3, 5:4)
Ferencvaros: Vismeg 5, Ak.Nagy 3, Vigvari 3, Di Somma 2, Jansik 2, Pajan 1, Vamos 1, Fekere 1, Varga 1.
Oradea: Gardasevic 4, Oltean 3, Negrean 1, Ilisie 1, Gusarov 1, Velkic 1.
Ferencvaros played without several of its super stars. Dusan Mandic, who will be out of the pool for a few weeks because of an injury suffered in the Euro Cup, missed the match, together with Stylianos Argyropoulos (also injured), Krisztian Manhercz and freshly recovered Soma Vogel.
However, the reigning champion recorded an easy win over Oradea. The Romanians took a 3:1 lead after less than three minutes of play. Ferencvaros took control quickly and produced a 5:0 run, turning around a 2-goal deficit to a 6:3 lead. Gardasevic broke the hosts’ series (4:6), but not for long. Ferencvaros scored five consecutive goals again and was 11:4 up at halftime.
For most of the second half, the Hungarians maintained a 7-goal difference earned in the first half. They had a 19:10 lead a minute before the end, and Gardasevic scored the last goal in the match to narrow the distance to eight.
Primorac – Brescia 13:14 (3:3, 4:4, 3:5,3:2)
Primorac: Mrsic 4, Cetkovic 2, Vico 2, Inaba 1, Murisic 1,Vuckovic 1, Brkic 1, Stanojevic 1.
Brescia: Ferrero 3, Gianazza 3, Balzarini 3, Poadic2, Dolce 1, Del Basso 1, Giri 1.
Brescia opened the match with two goals, but the Montenegrins replied with three for a 3:2 advantage deep into the first quarter. However, new turns were yet to come. Early in the second period, Brescia went ahead twice (4:3, 5:4). Then Primorac scored three goals in two minutes and established a 2-goal lead for the first time (7:5). However, Brescia halted the hosts’ run and managed to level the score before the end of the first half – 7:7.
Luka Murisic scored from a six on 5 in Primorac’s first possession in the third period (8:7), but it was the hosts’ last lead in the match. Alessandro Balzarini responded with two quick goals to put Brescia ahead once again. Primorac equalized at 9:9 and again at 10:10, but Brescia regained the lead on each occasion. Just six seconds before the end of the third period, Filipo Ferrero found the net and the Italians headed into the fourth period with a 12:10 advantage. Still, Primorac struck back with goals from Mrsic and Vico. In the 28th minute, Ferrero converted a penalty to give Brescia a new minimal lead of 13:12. Mrsic leveled a minute later. After that, both teams’ defenses were up to their tasks. It seemed that the match could end in a shootout. However, Vlado Popadic, a Montenegrin on Brescia’s roster, prevented the game from going to a penalty drama, scoring from 6 meters with 44 seconds remaining. Primorac lost the ball in its final possession, and Brescia pocketed all three points.
GROUP D
Sabadell – Barceloneta 12:16 (2:3, 5:4, 2:6, 3:3)
Sabadell: Averka 5, Cabanas 2, Saboya 2, Famera 1, Bonet 1, Panerai 1
Barceloneta: Sanahuja 3, Velotto 3, Brian 2, Thull 2, Vigvari 2,Biel 2,Munarriz 1, Ecenique 1,
After two consecutive defeats to Barceloneta at the start of the season (in the Catalunya Cup and the Spanish Super Cup), Sabadell managed to put up a strong fight against the top Spanish club, but it wasn’t enough for a surprise, as Barceloneta broke the hosts’ ressistance with seven unanswered goals between the 19th and the 26th minutes. Although Barceloneta began the match as expected, taking a 3:1 lead midway through the first period, Sabadell found their footing and took the lead three times during the second period (4:3, 6:5, 7:6). In the final seconds of the first half, Gergely Burian scored, leveling the game at 7:7.
In the first three minutes of the second half, Famera and Cabanas scored action goals, giving Sabadell a two-goal lead for the first time. However, the hosts struggled to maintain their momentum. Barceloneta quickly equalized at 9:9 and continued to build on their success. Seventeen seconds before the end of the third period, Tahull scored, putting Barceloneta ahead 12:9. The high-scoring third period wasn’t over yet; just a second before the buzzer, Alessandro Vellotto surprised Sabadell’s goalkeeper, Eduardo Lorrio, with a long-range shot from over 20 meters, extending Barceloneta’s lead to 13:9.
Sabadell missed two man-up opportunities at the beginning of the final period, which proved costly. Biel added another goal, increasing Barceloneta’s lead to 14:9 in the 26th minute. After a series of seven unanswered goals, Sabadell found it impossible to recover.
Yesterday: Marseille – Hannover 20:9
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Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:58 +0000
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The time for the start of the 2026 Euro Cup has come. All eight matches of the first round of the Group Stage of the second-tier […]
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Olympiacos wins first big derby; Radnicki struggles to defeat Vasas
Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:09:11 +0000
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Olympiacos secured three points in the big derby on the opening day of the 2026 Champions League, defeating Mladost 13:9 at home in Group A. The […]
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Strahinja Rasovic Photo by Igor Lazarevic
One of Vasas’s left-handed players, Tamas Gyarfas, opened the third quarter with his third goal to put his team in front again – 10:9. Batori made it 11:9 from a penalty. The Hungarians, playing without psychological pressure, held their advantage until 12:10. After that, Radnicki produced a 5:0 rush. At the end of the quarter, Radnicki finally took the lead. It was Strahinja Rasovic who equalized for the third time, 12:12 in the 22nd minute. A minute later, captain Andrija Prlainovic gave Radnicki the first lead in the match, scoring from a distance for 13:12. Strahinja Rasovic doubled the hosts’ advantage before the last break. Vlachopoulos made it 15:12 in the 26th minute to conclude the hosts’ pivotal series of five goals in a row. Vasas didn’t give in, but didn’t equalize. The visitors narrowed the gap to one when it was too late. Lakatos scored the last goal in the match 25 seconds before the final buzzer.
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GROUP B
Jadran HN – Jadran Split 14:11 (4:3, 3:2, 5:2, 2:4)
Jadran Herceg Novi: Stupar 3, Janovic 3, Merkulov 2, Kholod 1, Vujovic 1, Valera 1, Gojkovic 1, Lazic 1, Vranes 1.
Jadran Split: Matkovic 3, Fatovic 3,Zovic 2, Butic 1, Berehulak 1, Nemet 1,
The visitors from Split set the pace for most of the first quarter of the match played in Trebinje, taking an early lead of 3:1 by the 5th minute. However, the Montenegrins rallied with a 3:0 run in the final 2 minutes and 6 seconds of the first period, ending the quarter with a 4:3 advantage. The home team maintained its momentum and scored a fourth consecutive goal, extending its lead to 5:3.
Two minutes before halftime, the Split-based team managed to equalize at 5:5. However, shortly after, Jadran began to assert its dominance, launching a crucial 6:1 run. By the end of the first half, the Montenegrin champions led 7:5 and opened the second quarter strongly. Kholod gave them their first three-goal lead of the match at 8:5. Matkovic responded immediately, but that did not stop Jadran Herceg Novi. The home side’s defense, commanded by goalkeeper Andric, was better and better, providing a solid foundation for their attack.
In the 22nd minute, Jadran Herceg Novi jumped to 11:6, and at that point, the contest was essentially decided. The visitors, who struggled with their power play conversion (7/20), couldn’t make a comeback.
GROUP D
Marseille – Waspo Hannover 20:9 (6:3, 5:3, 5:2, 4:1)
Marseille: Bouet 5, Vernoux 4, Crousillat 4, Kalgeropoulos 3, Larumbe 2, Bodegas 1, Nagy 1.
Waspo 98 Hannover: Kueppers 2, Strelezkij 2, Lozina 2, Buha 1, Gansen 1, L.Vukicevic 1.
Waspo Hannover did its best, but the Germans couldn’t surprise the semifinalist of the 2025 Champions League. Hannover kept up with Marseille until 2:2. Between the 6th and 9th minute, Marseille scored five, conceding only one goal. Hence, the French had a 4-goal advantage already at the beginning of the second period (7:3). Deep into the second period, Marseille extended its lead to six goals for the first time (11:5). Marseille reached a double-digit margin in the 27th minute (19:9) and added one goal in the remaining part of the game.
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Thrilling Champions League season kicks off; Ferencvaros and Recco ready to make history again
Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:16:41 +0000
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An exhilarating Super Cup clash in Budapest last week served as the perfect overture to the 63rd edition of the Champions League. The first-round matches will […]
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Gergo Zalanki. Photo: Orange Pictures.
The summer of 2024 was a milestone for both Radnicki and Mladost, as their budgets increased significantly, allowing them to reshape their teams by signing many excellent players. Radnicki enjoyed great success, winning the Serbian championship, the Regional League, and earning silver in the Euro Cup. Mladost, on the other hand, had a trophyless season, losing several crucial matches against Radnicki on the European stage and in the Regional League. This summer, both teams continued to reinforce their squads with additional experienced players.
Nikola Jaksic (Radnicki) Photo: KVK RadnickiBoth teams have the highest ambitions in all competitions. Mladost, returning to the Champions League after a five-year absence, aims to make up for missed opportunities in previous seasons. The Croats have started the season strongly, showcasing dominant performances in the Champions League qualifications.
Radnicki didn’t begin the season as expected, managing only one point in their first significant challenge, a VRL League match against Jadran HN. However, this loss could serve as a wake-up call for a team filled with champions, including seven reigning Olympic champions.
Konstantin Kharkov (Mladost) Photo: HAVK Mladost
Vasas, a club with a rich tradition, enters the season with a rejuvenated team alongside several experienced players. The Hungarians are not to be underestimated, as Vasas could contend for a spot in the Quarterfinals if it performs to the best of their abilities.
Round 1: Radnicki – Vasas (October 14 at 20:30), Olympiacos – Mladost (October 14 at 18:00)
Group B
Pro Recco
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: didn’t play (the Euro Cup winner), 2024: 2nd place; 2023: winner, 2022: winner, 2021: winner.
Best results: 11x winner (1965, 1984, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023). Other European trophies: 9x Super Cup, 1x Euro Cup.
Head coach: Sandro Sukno
Key players: Alvaro Granados, Francesco Di Fulvio, Max Irving, Giacomo Cannella, Gianmarco Nicosia, Rino Buric…
Jadran Split
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group A); 2024: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group A); 2023: Group Stage (5th place in Group A); 2022: Group Stage (7th place in Group A); 2021: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Qualifications.
Best results: 2x winner (1992 and 1993). Other European trophies: -.
Head coach: Jure Marelja.
Key players: Loren Fatovic, Jerko Marinic Kragic, Marko Bijac,Dusan Matkovic, Zvonimit Butic…
Jadran Herceg Novi
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Group Stage (3rd place in Group C) and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2024: Group Stage (4th place in Group A) and the Euro Cup eighth finalist, 2023: Qualification Round 2 and the Euro Cup qualifications, 2022: Qualifications, 2021: Group Stage (6th place in Group B)
Best result: runner-up (2004). Other European trophies: –
Head coach: Vladimir Gojkovic.
Key players: Dmitri Kholod, Djordje Lazic, Fran Valera, Daniil Merkulov, Vasilije Radovic, Strahinja Gojkovic…
Novi Beograd
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: runner-up, 2024: 4th place, 2023: 2nd place, 2022: 2nd place, 2021: didn’t play (eighth-finalists of the LEN Euro Cup).
Best result: 3x runner-up (2022, 2023, and 2025). Other European trophies: -.
Head coach: Petar Radanovic.
Key players: Milos Cuk, Vasilije Martinovic, Djuro Radovic, Nikola Lukic, Miroslav Perkovic, Milan Glusac…
After winning their first Euro Cup, Pro Recco has assembled a mighty team and is returning to the Champions League with the goal of winning its 12th European title. It is clear that the Italians are heavy favorites for first place in their group.
Francesco Di Fulvio (Pro Recco) Photo by Laszlo Balogh
Meanwhile, the competition for second place is anticipated to be a three-horse race.
Novi Beograd is the only team that reached the Champions League semifinals in all four seasons from 2022 to 2025. The Serbian club won the silver medal four months ago in Malta, which was somewhat surprising given the significant rejuvenation of the team in 2024. This season, the team is even younger, but their ambitions remain high. Some of the younger players who were in the shadow of great aces in the past seasons have matured and improved themselves. While Novi Beograd is not a big favorite anymore, it still has the potential to play an important role in European competitions.
Vasilije Martinovic Photo by VK Novi Beograd
Based on many opinions, the national champions, Jadran Split and Jadran Herceg Novi, have similar chances of advancing to the Quarter Final Stage as Novi Beograd. The Croatian champions are entering the season with nearly the same lineup that played in the 2024/25 season, but they have extended their roster with a few excellent reinforcements. However, head coach Marelja will be without Jerko Marinic Kragic for a while yet, as the captain is still recovering from surgery. The Montenegrins also signed a few excellent additions, including the world champion, Fran Valera.
A significant boost for the Montenegrin champions is their victory over Radnicki in Kragujevac last week. Jadran Split has yet to face a strong opponent this season. The match between the two Jadrans tomorrow will serve as the first real test for the Croatian champions and is also one of the key clashes in the three-horse race mentioned.
Round 1: Jadran HN – Jadran S (October 14 at 18:30), Novi Beograd – Pro Recco (October 15 at 20.30).
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Group C
Ferencvaros
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: winner, 2024: winner, 2023: 6th place, 2022: 3rd place; 2021: runner-up.
Best results: winner (2019, 2024, 2025). Other European trophies: 4x winner of the Cup Winners’ Cup, 2x Euro Cup winner, 6 x Super Cup winner.
Head coach: Baalzs Nyeki.
Key players: Dusan Mandic, Soma Vogel, Krisztian Manhercz, Stylianos Argyropoulos, Marton Vamos, Szilard Jansik, Edoardo Di Somma…
Oradea
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group A); 2024: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Qualifications; 2023: Qualification Round 3 and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2022: Qualifications; 2021: Qualifications and Euro Cup Qualifications.
Best result: Quarter Final Stage (2025). Other European trophies: –
Head coach: Petar Kovacevic.
Key players: Filip Gardasevic, Lazar Dobozanov, David Belenyesi, Levante Vancsik, Sebastian Oltean…
Primorac
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Group Stage (4th place in Group D) and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2024: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Group Stage; 2023: Qualifications and the Euro Cup eighth-finalist; 2022: Qualifications; 2021: Qualifications and Euro Cup eighth-finalist.
Best result: winner (2009). Other European trophies: 1x Super Cup.
Head coach: Athanasios Kechagias.
Key players: Darko Brguljan, Nemanja Vico, Savo Cetkovic, Yusuke Inaba, Dimitrije Risticevic…
Brescia
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Qualifications and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2024: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group B), 2023: 8th place; 2022: 4th place; 2021: 3rd place.
Best Champions League results: 3rd place (2021). Other European trophies: 4x Euro Cup winner.
Head coach: Alessandro Bovo.
Key players: Jacopo Alesiani, Vincenzo Dolce, Tommaso Gianazza, Vlado Popadic, Tommaso Baggi Necchi, Mario Del Basso.
Ferencvaros has already won two big trophies this season (the Hungarian Cup and the European Super Cup). There is no special need to note their chances and ambitions. It will be a huge surprise if the reigning champion doesn’t win 1st place in Group C. A great encouragement for Ferencvaros’s fans is that goalkeeper Soma Vogel recovered and played his first match after a long break last week in the Super Cup.
Dusan Mandic Photo by Laszlo Balogh
Just like in Group B, the competition for second place is set to be interesting.
Primorac has the most experienced team among the three contenders for second place and may have a slightly better chance of advancing to the Quarter Final Stage compared to the Italians and the Romanians. The Montenegrins secured their spot in the group stage by winning first place in their qualification group in Belgrade, finishing ahead of Novi Beograd.
Yusuke Inaba Photo by Marcel ter Bals/MTB-Photo
Brescia has a relatively young team that did not perform well in the qualifications, suffering an 8:18 defeat to Mladost. However, they advanced thanks to a previous victory over Vouliagmeni. Despite their struggles, Brescia can still be (at least) a competitive opponent against Primorac and Oradea.
Oradea achieved its greatest success in the Champions League last season by reaching the Quarter Final Stage. This season, the Romanians face tougher challenges as they will compete in a more demanding group during the first phase compared to last year. Nevertheless, they might still surprise, as their roster has not changed significantly since last season, allowing the teammates to maintain their chemistry.
Round 1: Ferencvaros – Oradea (October 15 at 18.30), Primorac – Brescia (October 15 at 20.30)
Group D
Barceloneta
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: the bronze medal; 2024: Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group B); 2023: the bronze medal; 2022: 5th place; 2021: 4th place.
Best results: winner (2014), 3rd place (2013, 2015, 2018, 2023). Other European trophies: 1 x Super Cup.
Head coach: Fran Fernandez
Key players: Unai Aguirre, Alberto Munariz, Bernat Sanahuja, Roger Tahull, Vince Vigvari…
Marseille
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: 4th place; 2024: Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group A); 2023: Group Stage (7th place in a group); 2022: 7th place; 2021: 8th place.
Best result: 4th place (2025). Other European trophies: 1x Euro Cup (LEN Trophy)
Head coach: Milos Scepanovic.
Key players: Thomas Vernoux, Ugo Crousillat, Petar Tesanovic, Michael Bodegas, Radomir Drasovic…
Sabadell
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Group Stage (3rd place in Group D) and the Euro Cup semifinalist, 2024: Group Stage (3rd place in Group A) and the bronze medal in the Euro Cup, 2023: Group Stage (5th in Group B); 2022: didn’t play/ the Euro Cup winner; 2021: didn’t play /LEN Euro Cup quarterfinals.
Best result: Group Stage. Other European trophies: 1 x Euro Cup.
Head coach: Quim Collet
Key players: Sergi Cabanas, Edoardo Lorrio, Martin Famera, Kanstantin Averka, Alberto Barroso…
Waspo 98 Hannover
Last five Champions League seasons – 2025: Group Stage (4th place in Group A) and the Euro Cup eighth-finalist; 2024: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Group Stage; 2023: Group Stage (8th place in Group A); 2022: 6th place; 2021: 6th place.
Best result: 6th place (2022 and 2021). Other European trophies: –
Head coach: Aleksandar Radovic
Key players: Marko Macan, Denis Strelezkij, Zoran Bozic, Lukas Kueppers, Niclas Schipper…
In June, Barceloneta defeated Marseille 19:9 in the bronze medal match at the Final Four in Malta. However, the 10-goal margin did not accurately reflect the actual difference in quality between the two teams.
The Spaniards and the French are the frontrunners in Group D. Still, Barceloneta is the favorite, while Marseille will pose the biggest danger to the 2014 European champion in Group D.
Unai Aguirre Photo by Laszlo Balogh
Since the 2025 Final Four, both teams have changed. Even though Barceloneta begins a new chapter without Felipe Perrone and Alvaro Granados and with a new head coach, Fran Fernandez, the Spaniards have an excellent team, with ten finalists of the World Championships (eight Spaniards and two Hungarians). Marseille has the right to dream big, as it has assembled a very good team after the departures of stars like Prlainovic, Angyal, and Velotto.
Thomas Vernoux Photo by Philippe Fretault/ WP inside
Sabadell didn’t have a promising start to the season, suffering two consecutive defeats to Barceloneta in the past two weeks (10:17 in the Copa Catalunya and 6:16 in the Spanish Super Cup). But the season has just started. The second-best Spanish team is yet to show its best. Sabadell will have a new chance to prove its capabilities against Barceloneta already on Wednesday in the first round of Group B.
Waspo Hannover has been waiting for a win on the European stage for almost two years (since November 2023 and the Euro Cup Group Stage). The German champion is, on paper, an underdog in this group. Waspo has an experienced team, but with no big stars. We’ll find out if the experience will be enough to end a winless streak.
Round 1: Marseille – Hannover (October 14 at 20:30), Sabadell – Barceloneta (October 15 at 20.30).
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Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:26:39 +0000
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Visiting teams performed very well in the second round of the Italian League, winning four out of seven matches. However, the home team earned points in […]
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Visiting teams performed very well in the second round of the Italian League, winning four out of seven matches.
However, the home team earned points in the derby. The highlight of the round was an encounter between Pro Recco and Trieste, the reigning champion and 4th-placed team in the 2025 season. Recco started strong, taking an opening 3:0 lead. Trieste fought back to equalize at 4:4 midway through the second period. However, Recco responded with a 5:0 run, establishing a comfortable 9:4 advantage in the early stages of the third period. Eleven players of Pro Recco got on the scoresheet in an 18:11 victory. Di Fulvio and Iocchi Gratta scored three goals each, but Trieste’s Vuk Draskovic topped the scorers’ list with seven goals.
Brescia earned a hard-fought victory over Posillipo in Naples. At halftime, Brescia led 9:6. Posillipo started coming back step by step. The hosts managed to tie at the beginning of the fourth quarter – 12:12. Brescia quickly replied with two goals. Posillipo halved its deficit twice, but Jacopo Alesiani, the best scorer of the match, sealed Brescia’s win with his fifth goal just a second before the end – 16:14.
For the first time, a game in the regular season of the Italian League was decided in a penalty shootout (this rule was implemented this season). Roma Vis Nova defeated Quinto in Genoa 16:14 (12:12). The home side was closer to a victory in regular time as Drasko Gogov scored his fourth goal with 31 seconds remaining to give the Genoa-based club a 12:11 advantage. But Poli leveled at 12:12 with twelve seconds to go and prolonged the match to a shootout. The team from the capital won, and the key players were goalkeeper Corregia, with nine saves in the shootout, and Jacop Mrecep, who scored five goals (including one in the shootout).
After suffering a painful 5:15 loss to Iren Quinto at home in the first round, Ortigia defeated Florentia in Florence 17:15. Baksa Benedek scored five goals for Ortigia, which secured the victory only in the fourth period.
A 20-year-old Hungarian, Oliver Leinweber, who scored eight goals in his debut for Savona last week, delivered another strong performance: Leinweber scored five goals to help Savona earn a convincing 21:9 victory over De Akker. Veteran Pietro Figlioli added four goals.
2025/26 Italian League, Round 2
Pro Recco – Trieste 18:11 (4:2, 4:2, 4:4, 6:3)
Posillipo – Brescia 14:16 (3:5, 3:4, 5:3, 3:4)
Florentia – Ortigia 15:17 (4:5, 5:4, 3:3, 3:5)
Telimar – Olympic Roma 8:6 (2:1, 0:2, 3:1, 3:2)
De Akker – Savona 9:21 (1:6, 3:3, 2:6, 3:6)
Canottieri Napoli – Salerno 14:9 (3:2, 2:2, 4:4, 5:1)
Iren Genova Quinto – Roma Vis Nova 14:16 (4:5, 3:1, 3:2, 2:4, PSO 2:4)
Postponed match of Round 1, played earlier this week: Trieste – De Akker 18:15 (3:5, 4:2, 4:4, 7:4)
1. Savona 2 – 6
2. Pro Recco 2 – 6
3. Brescia 2 – 6
4. Telimar 2 – 6
5. Quinto 2 – 4
6. Trieste 2 – 3
7. Posillipo 2 – 3
8. Canottieri 2 – 3
9. Ortigia 2 – 3
10. Roma Vis Nova 2 – 2
11. De Akker 2 – 0
12. Florentia 2 – 0
13. Salerno 2 – 0
14. Olympic Roma 2 – 0
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Three European champions continue their winning streaks in Croatia
Sun, 12 Oct 2025 09:04:07 +0000
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Three former European champions—Jadran Split, Mladost, and Jug—continued their winning streaks in the Croatian League. Additionally, only Primorje is unbeaten, but the Rijeka-based team had a […]
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Three former European champions—Jadran Split, Mladost, and Jug—continued their winning streaks in the Croatian League. Additionally, only Primorje is unbeaten, but the Rijeka-based team had a bye during Round 3 this weekend.
Jadran, playing without a few key players (Fatovic, Bijac, Nemet), easily beat its local rival, OVK Split, 26:9. All outfield players of Jadran found the net, and Antonio Duzevic was the top scorer with four goals.
Mladost started slowly, but after a 3:4 first quarter, the Zagreb-based team recorded an 18:10 victory over Mornar. Luka Bukic netted six goals, and Konstantin Kharkov scored four for the winning team.
Jug beat KPK Korcula 22:11, with five goals from Toni Mozara and Vlaho Pavlic each.
Solaris, which qualified for the Euro Cup Group Stage last week, beat POSK 1937 at home. Solaris earned a 6-goal lead early in the third period (11:5). However, POSK didn’t surrender. The visitors equalized at 13:13 with six minutes left in the game. Solaris refocused and went on a 4:0 run, taking a 17:13 lead. POSK managed to score the final goal of the match, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit. For Solaris, Cubranic, Pelicaric, and Mijic each contributed three goals, while Marin Borovcic Kurir from POSK was the top scorer of the match, with six goals.
Medvescak collected its first points by defeating Zadar in Zagreb, 17:14. Medvescak stunned Zadar with a 7:1 opening lead. The visitors tried to come back, but they couldn’t catch up with Medsvecak. In the 31st minute, Zadar reduced the gap to 14:16, but immediately after that goal, Medvescak struck back with its 17th. Lovre Milos led Medvescak with six goals, while David Babic scored seven for Zadar.
2025/26 Croatian League, Round 3
Jadran – OVK Split 26:9 (7:1, 4:0, 8:4, 7:4)
Solaris – POSK 1937 17:14 (6:3, 4:2, 3:5, 4:4)
Mladost – Mornar 18:10 (3:4, 8:2, 3:2, 4:2)
Jug – KPK 22:11 (4:2, 8:2, 5:3, 5:4)
Medvescak – Zadar 1952 17:14 (7:2, 6:4, 2:4, 2:4)
Primorje bye
Postponed match of Round 2, played earlier this week: OVK Split – Solaris 4:22 (1:6, 0:7, 2:3, 1:6).
1. Jug AO 3 – 9
2. Jadran S 3 – 9
3. Mladost 3 – 9
4. Primorje 2 – 6
5. Solaris 3 – 6
6. Mornar 3 – 3
7. Medvescak 2 – 3
8. POSK 1937 2 – 0
9. Zadar 1952 3 – 0
10. KPK Korcula 3 – 0
11. OVK Split 3 – 0
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Sun, 12 Oct 2025 08:47:33 +0000
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Barceloneta, as well as other favorites, got off to a flying start in the Spanish Championships. The titleholder defeated Mediterrani 27:7, with five goals from Vince […]
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Barceloneta, as well as other favorites, got off to a flying start in the Spanish Championships.
The titleholder defeated Mediterrani 27:7, with five goals from Vince Vigari and Bernat Sanahuja. Mediterrani remained relatively close to Barceloneta for most of the first half. The visitors scored their last goal in the 14th minute, reducing the gap to 7:11. However, in the remaining time, Barceloneta executed a 16:0 run.
Barcelona recorded a convincing win, too, defeating the newcomer to the league, Encinas de Boadilla, 21:6, with four goals from Pol Prat.
Sabadell achieved a 15:6 victory over Tenerife Echeyde. The second and third quarters were pivotal, as Sabadell managed to score seven goals while not conceding any during this stretch. Martin Famera and Kanstantin Averka each contributed three goals to Sabadell’s triumph.
Caballa opened an away match against Sant Andreu surprisingly well. It led 6:2 late into the first quarter. Sant Andreu leveled at 7:7 by the middle break, and secured a 14:12 victory in the second half.
2025/26 Spanish League, Round 1
Barceloneta – Mediterrani 27:7 (8:4,6:3, 6:0, 7:0)
Rubi – Terrassa 13:22 (4:5, 2:5, 2:5, 5:7)
Mataro – Catalunya 10:6 (3:1, 3:3, 4:2, 0:0)
Sabadell – Tenerife 15:6 (5:3, 2:0, 5:0, 3:3)
Sant Andreu -Caballa 14:12 (3:6, 4:1, 4:1, 3:4)
Barcelona – Encinas De Boadilla 21:6 (5:0, 5:2, 6:4, 5:0)
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Sat, 11 Oct 2025 17:03:30 +0000
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The second round of the Hungarian League saw not many close matches. The narrowest winning margin was two goals. Honved defeated Szentes with a score of […]
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The second round of the Hungarian League saw not many close matches. The narrowest winning margin was two goals.
Honved defeated Szentes with a score of 15:13. The Budapest-based team established a 6:4 lead in the first quarter. However, Szentes dominated in the second period, scoring five unanswered goals and entering the second half with a nice 9:6 advantage. Honved, led by Nikola Moskov, who scored five goals in the match, managed to make a comeback. The hosts opened the third period with a 4:0 run, taking an 11:10 lead. Szentes equalized at 11:11, but Honved responded with three goals to pull ahead 14:11 early in the fourth period. Szentes narrowed the gap to one goal at 13:14. However, Bendeguz Ekler resolved the final dilemmas by converting a man-up opportunity with 25 seconds remaining, sealing Honved’s 15:13 victory.
Three days after winning its 6th European Super Cup, Ferencvaros beat DVSE Debrecen 24:8. Three players scored half of the goals for Ferencvaros. Gergo Fekete, Vince Varga, and Vendvel Vigvari found the net four times each.
BVSC also scored more than 20 goals, beating UVSE 25:12.
Vasas defeated Eger 16:11. The runner-up in the 2025 league secured an 8:3 advantage in the first half and controlled the match in the next 16 minutes. Bence Batori and Gabor Lorinc led the winning team with three goals each. Rajmund Radli scored four for Eger.
OSC defeated Kaposvar 17:13 with four goals from Sebastian Hessels.
Szolnok bounced back after a 4:13 defeat to Terrassa at the end of the Euro Cup qualifications and beat Miskolc 16:10. Midway through the second quarter, Miskolc had a slim 4:3 advantage. Then Szolnok found its rhythm and produced a 7:0 run between the 14th and the 19th minute, taking a 10:4 lead, which put the hosts on the right track.
Szeged was the only visiting team to record a win, earning three points against KSI – 14:9.
2025/26 Hungarian League, Round 2
Honved – Szentes 15:13 (6:4, 0:5, 6:2, 3:2)
OSC – Kaposvar 17:13 (6:5, 4:4, 5:1, 2:3)
KSI – Szeged 9:14 (3:2, 2:2, 2:6, 2:4)
Ferencvaros – DVSE Debrecen 24:8 (4:3, 7:0, 5:3, 8:2)
Vasas – Eger 16:11 (5:1, 3:2, 4:5, 4:3)
Szolnok – Miskolc 16:10 (2:2, 4:2, 7:2, 3:4)
BVSC – UVSE 25:12 (5:0, 6:2, 7:4, 7:6)
The match of the 6th round: KSI – Honved 7:15 (0:5, 2:3, 3:3, 2:4)
1. Honved 3 – 9
2. Ferencvaros 2 – 6
3. BVSC 2 – 6
4. Szolnok 2 – 6
5. Vasas 2 – 6
6. OSC 2 – 6
7. Szeged 2 – 6
8. Kaposvar 2 – 0
9. Szentes 2 – 0
10. Eger 2 – 0
11. KSI 3 – 0
12. UVSE 2 – 0
13. Debrecen 2 – 0
14. Miskolc 2 – 0
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Fri, 10 Oct 2025 13:01:28 +0000
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Sabac convincingly defeated Crvena Zvezda 15:4 in the last match of the second round of the VRL Premier League. The Red and Whites played solid matches […]
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Sabac convincingly defeated Crvena Zvezda 15:4 in the last match of the second round of the VRL Premier League.
The Red and Whites played solid matches last weekend in the Euro Cup qualifications. They were close to advancing, leading many to expect an interesting duel at the Banjica pool today. Moreover, Crvena Zvezda was considered a slight favorite.
However, the Sabac took control from the start. In the first two minutes, the visitors secured a 2:0 lead. After that, both teams displayed good defenses, resulting in no goals being scored until the end of the first period. In the second quarter, Sabac shocked the hosts by extending its lead to 8:0 by the 15th minute. After that, the hosts managed to score their first goal, with Vasic converting a penalty against a very good goalkeeper Darko Djurovic.
Crvena Zvezda slowed down Sabac a bit in the third quarter, but their attack, with a poor power-play conversion, was still far from what the hosts needed for a comeback. In the fourth period, the visitors resumed their dominance and achieved a remarkable win with an 11-goal difference, at one point even leading by 12 goals (14:2 and 15:3). A total of nine players from the winning team found the net, with Andrej Barac standing out as the best scorer with three goals.
After two rounds, Sabac is atop the table with six points. Novi Beograd has also won six points, but Sabac has a better goal-difference thanks to today’s impressive victory.
Crvena zvezda – Šabac 4:15 (0:2, 1:6, 1:2, 2:5)
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