The last two spots are yet to be
confirmed though it’s very likely that by Saturday evening we’ll know all Final
Eight participants and the most probable pairings for the quarter-finals as the
top ranks are to be secured in this round too. At the same time, at this stage
of the season, almost all teams are busy with their respective championship
finals so it can add some extra flavour how they approach their respective CL
matches, whether those without a realistic chance would still go for all-in to
keep some hope to make the F8 or may keep their focus on their domestic run for
the title.
By the way, this is also a true
demonstration of the European ‘power rankings’ – the Champions League really
features the crème de la crème of the continent: among this season’s main round
participants, only Radnicki failed to reach the gold medal bouts at home, all
other sides are either already playing the finals or getting ready for the
first game in their respective domestic leagues.
As for the CL action, in Group B,
Brescia need one point to keep the first position, a challenging task for this
round as they play with FTC in Budapest – though if OSC manage to upset Novi
Beograd a few kilometres away (or at least force a draw), the Italians can even
lose this round and would still finish atop.
The real fight is due in Marseille
where the French have a very last chance to make the Final 8 for the third time
in a row – however, they are facing a mountain to climb as they must beat Jug
by six goals in order to remain on track. And that sill might not be enough as
they also need to gain three points in the last round in Budapest, against OSC,
while Jug have to lose to Brescia. Since Marseille downed FTC by six in the
last round, we cannot call this a mission impossible – but it’s a demanding
task for sure.
In Group A only a miracle might help
the other Croatian side Jadran, which should win in Recco to catch up with
Vouliagmeni (provided the Greeks cannot get any point in Barceloneta, though
that would also require tremendous efforts from them). Even if Vouliagmeni lose
on Saturday afternoon, in the evening a Recco victory – a realistic outcome –
would send the Greeks through anyway.
Fellow Greek side Olympiacos can bag
an easy win at home against Dinamo to set up an exciting encounter for the last
round in Recco where the second place of the group would be at stake.
Fixtures, Day 13
Group B (Friday)
19.30 Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) v
Astralpool Sabadell (ESP)
19.30 Genesys OSC Budapest (HUN) v
Novi Beograd (SRB)
20.00 CN Marseille (FRA) v Jug
Adriatic Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO)
20.00 FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v AN
Brescia (ITA)
Standings: 1. Brescia 31, 2. Novi
Beograd 26, 3. Ferencvaros 22, 4. Jug 16, 5. Spandau 11, 6. Sabadell 10, 7.
Marseille 10, 8. OSC 10
Group A (Saturday)
13.00 Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v
NC Vouliagmeni (GRE)
19.00 Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v
Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB)
19.30 (18.30 CET) Olympiacos Piraeus
(GRE) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
20.00 Pro Recco (ITA) v Jadran Split
(CRO)
Standings: 1. Barceloneta 33, 2.
Recco 30, 3. Olympiacos 28, 4. Vouliagmeni 17, 5. Jadran 14, 6. Radnicki 9, 7. Dinamo
6, 8. Hannover 3
Pre-game quotes
Group B
Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) v Astralpool
Sabadell (ESP)
Denis Strelezkij, player,
Wasserfreunde Spandau 04
„The chance of a qualification is
theoretically possible for my team but still very low. We will try everything
to use this theoretical possibility. We’ve trained hard and concentrated during
the whole season to win and not to lose games, regardless of our situation in
the ranks.”
Marin Restovic, player, Wasserfreunde
Spandau 04
“We want to achieve the best possible
placement in our group. In the current season we could play attractive games
several times. In our last home game, we don't want to disappoint our fans who
have accompanied us through the season and we wish to present an exciting
game.”
Quim Colet, coach, Sabadell
“We approach the match against
Spandau as one more learning occasion for the team, against a rival we almost
beat in the game we played at home. The intention is to finish the competition
as high as possible, and we are going to Germany to try to win the game.”
Sergi Cabanas, player, Sabadell
“We are facing a key week. On one
hand, we have the Champions League match against Spandau, then on Wednesday we
start the fight for the league title in our pool. We consider Friday's game as
one more chance for the team to gain confidence and reach the final play-off in
a good shape.”
Genesys OSC Budapest (HUN) v Novi
Beograd (SRB)
Daniel Varga, coach, OSC
“We don’t have the chance for the
Final 8 anymore, but we do have to win the Hungarian Championship. The best way
to achieve our dreams is to play a quality game against Novi Beograd. If we
play well, we’ll be able to keep even three points at home.”
Erik Csacsovszky, player, OSC
“We can’t reach the final eight, but
this doesn’t mean that we don’t give hundred percent in every game, and we will
try our best to beat Novi Beograd.”
Zivko Gocic, coach, Novi Beograd
“There is another very important and
tough game in front of us. We are in a difficult position because this match is
coming between two games of the final series in our domestic championship. We
are playing against a team, which have improved their performance level and
play much better in recent weeks. It will be a very exciting and interesting
game. We will try to prepare ourselves in the best possible way and try to do
our best. If we do like that, we can expect a good result in Budapest.”
Radomir Drasovic, player, Novi
Beograd
“This is a very important game for us
for many reasons. First of all, if we win, we will secure the second place in
Group B for the Final Eight tournament. Also, another win will give us
self-confidence and good energy for the end of the season. OSC Budapest is a
very good team and a tough opponent, especially when they play at home. We need
to forget the result from our previous game, and we need to approach it like it
is the final match, because that is the way we can achieve our goal.”
CN Marseille (FRA) v Jug Adriatic
Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO)
Milos Scepanovic, coach, Marseille
“We will approach this match like all
the other matches of the season. We are going to do everything to win this
match in front of our home crowd as well. The Dubrovnik team has shown a lot
this season, they can win big games. It's up to us to be better!”
Andrija Prlainovic, player, Marseille
“Jug Adriatic is one of the best
teams in the history of water polo. We have faced them several times with
defeats and victories at the end. We will therefore approach this match like
all the others of the season. We have worked hard, and we are ready. Playing in
front of our home crowd is a privilege, so we will do everything to get this
victory and try to qualify for Final8.”
Vjekoslav Kobescak, coach, Jug
“Perhaps the key game of the season
is ahead of us as far as placement in the Final 8 is concerned. Although we are
tired, considering that on Tuesday we played against Jadran in the final of the
Croatian Championship and that Fatovic’s appearance is still in question, we
will do everything to gain the point that takes us to Belgrade.”
Matias Biljaka, player, Jug
“Marseille are a team that improved
their form in the second part of the season and play excellent water polo. We
are a little tired from the tough schedule, but we know what a victory would
mean to us, and we will do everything to get it.”
FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v AN
Brescia (ITA)
Zsolt Varga, coach, Ferencvaros
They are very fast, strong and they
play a really good modern water polo. For us, the most important is the final
of the Hungarian championship and this match is a key part of our preparation
for that. Of course, this is a game of prestige, furthermore a really important
match, still, we are in a build-up period now.”
Soma Vogel, goalie, Ferencvaros
“We have been working very hard since
our last match. This match against Brescia is really important, but as I know
we don’t have a real chance to move up in the standings. It will be a perfect
preparation for the final of the championship.”
Edoardo Di Somma, player, Brescia
“We wil face a very good team. They
are strong and they will do their best as they play at home. We are ready and
our will is to win the group. We have to be ready, with the right
concentration.”
Group A (Saturday)
Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v NC
Vouliagmeni (GRE)
Elvis Fatovic, coach, Barceloneta
“Vouliagmeni are the team that play
even matches with Olympiacos. Our game with them in Greece was not easy at all.
We must not underestimate them.”
Nicholas Porter, player, Barceloneta
“We are excited to welcome
Vouliagmeni to Sant Sebastia this weekend. We had a very competitive match with
them in Athens in the first round, and they have collected some great results
this season. It is a very important match for both teams as we are fighting to
secure the 1st position in the group, while Vouliagmeni are trying to secure
qualification for Final 8. There is a lot at stake, and we are looking forward
to a physical, exciting, and high-quality match.”
Unai Biel, player, Barceloneta
“Vouliagmeni are a very strong team,
very well prepared physically. We must be good in our defence and keep our
speed in counter attacks to be able to take all three points and keep the first
place in our group.”
Vladimir Vujasinovic, coach,
Vouliagmeni
“We are currently playing the final
series of the Greek championship and certainly our attention is focused on
that. I hope that, first of all, we will have the mental strength to play a
quality game against one of the best teams in Europe. Our goal is the Final 8
in Belgrade, and I hope that we can achieve that in the next two games.”
Nikolaos Kastrinakis, player,
Vouliagmeni
“The upcoming game against
Barceloneta is a very interesting one. The Spanish team are one of the best in
Europe and no team have beaten them in their home, so it is a good chance for
us to test our limits but also prepare for the games left in the season. We
come from a series of tough games with very little rest but we will try our
best to beat them.”
Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v Radnicki
Kragujevac (SRB)
Karsten Seehafer, coach, Hannover
“We have a chance, and we hope we
will realise it.”
Andrija Basic, player, Hannover
We expect very hard game against a
very good opponent. They lost a few important matches in the last month, still
they have quality individuals who can play excellent. I think we are prepared,
we trained well in the last few weeks, and I hope we can win.”
Marco Macan, player, Hannover
“Radnicki are the favourite, but they
come without a few key players, so we have our chances.”
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Dinamo
Tbilisi (GEO)
No quotes
Pro Recco (ITA) v Jadran Split (CRO)
Nicholas Presciutti, player, Pro
Recco
"We must not think about the
championship final, we have this European match and we want to keep our mind on
Jadran, finally in our home pool in Recco. They are a good team that is
experiencing an important moment of the season as they are before Game 5 of the
series for the national title against Jug Dubrovnik. They certainly won't come
here for a walk, but they will play all their cards to try to get into the
final. For our part, we will try to stop them and demonstrate our qualities
into the pool.”
Facts & Figures
Group B
Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) v Astralpool
Sabadell (ESP)
Last five matches:
Spandau: WLLWL – Sabadell: LLWWL
Last round:
Spandau: 7-11 v OSC (h) – Sabadell:
10-14 v Brescia (h)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 9-9 – 2017-18: 11-9, 11-8
Genesys OSC Budapest (HUN) v Novi
Beograd (SRB)
Last five matches:
OSC: LLDLW – NBG: WWWLD
Last round:
OSC: 11-7 v Spandau (a) – NBG: 11-11
v Jug (a)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 9-17
CN Marseille (FRA) v Jug Adriatic
Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO)
Last five matches:
Marseille: LWLLW – Jug: LWLDD
Last round:
Marseille: 13-7 v FTC (h) – Jug:
11-11 v NBG (h)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 9-14 – 2021-22: 14-9, 12-13;
F8, for 7-8th: 15-13. 2020-21: 10-11, 15-13; F8, for 5-8th: 13-16
FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v AN
Brescia (ITA)
Last five matches:
FTC: WLWDL – Brescia: WWDWW
Last round:
FTC: 7-13 v Marseille (a) – Brescia:
14-10 v Sabadell (a)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 4-8 – 2021-22: 8-8, 8-6; F8,
bronze medal: 14-12. 2020-21: 6-9, 7-10; F8, semi-final: 14-12. 2018-19: 8-8,
5-10
Group A
Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v NC
Vouliagmeni (GRE)
Last five matches:
Barceloneta: WWWWW – Vouliagmeni:
WLDLW
Last round:
Barceloneta: 16-7 v Hannover (a) –
Vouliagmeni: 14-9 v Dinamo (a)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 11-7
Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v Radnicki
Kragujevac (SRB)
Last five matches:
Hannover: LLLLL – Radnicki: DLLLL
Last round:
Hannover: 7-16 v Barceloneta (h) –
Radnicki 8-16 v Recco (h)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 12-13
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Dinamo
Tbilisi (GEO)
Last five matches:
Olympiacos: DWLWW – Dinamo: LWWLL
Last round:
Olympiacos: 10-7 v Jadran (h) – Dinamo:
9-14 v Vouliagmeni (h)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 21-9 – 2021-22: 20-9, 13-14
Pro Recco (ITA) v Jadran Split (CRO)
Last five matches:
Recco: WLWWW – Jadran: LWDWL
Last round:
Recco: 16-8 v Radnicki (a) – Jadran:
7-10 v Olympiacos (a)
Recent encounters:
Day 2: 13-9
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