The 2024/25 Champions League Quarter Final stage concludes on Wednesday evening, with all four matches set to begin simultaneously at 20:00 CET. Yet, unusually, Europe’s top club competition is sharing the spotlight this week with the climactic battles unfolding in national leagues.
Across the continent, domestic championships are reaching their peak, drawing significant attention. In several countries, including Greece and France, the finals are just beginning, but anticipation is already high. As a result, the Champions League—even with its prestige—is momentarily taking a back seat.
Final Four Already Set, But Key Questions Remain
The four teams bound for the Final Four in Malta (May 30 – June 1) are already confirmed: Marseille and Novi Beograd from Group A, and Ferencvaros and Barceloneta from Group B. However, the semi-final pairings will only be decided after the completion of this sixth and final round of the Quarter Final stage.
With the quality of teams from each group closely matched, the actual semi-final pairings may not be hugely consequential. Still, Group A’s standings remain unsettled, adding extra intrigue to Wednesday’s matches.
Group A Preview
Remaining Fixtures:
- Olympiacos vs Marseille (Piraeus)
- Jadran Split vs Novi Beograd (Split)
Standings before Round 6:
- Marseille – 9 pts
- Novi Beograd – 9 pts
- Olympiacos – 4 pts
- Jadran Split – 2 pts
While Group B appears settled, Group A’s final standings could shift depending on Wednesday’s results. Both Olympiacos and Jadran Split have tough matches, and both clubs are likely to rotate squads to conserve energy for domestic finals later this week.
Olympiacos vs Marseille
Olympiacos have underperformed in this Champions League campaign despite a talented squad. They’ve won just two of five home matches this season—against Primorac (via shootout) and Sabadell. Their heaviest defeat came at the hands of Marseille (7:12), which they now seek to avenge.
Marseille, on the other hand, have been dominant in recent matches and currently lead the group. With both teams likely focusing more on national glory—Olympiacos face Vouliagmeni in the Greek final—the outcome is unpredictable, but a win for the Greeks would be a major boost ahead of their domestic showdown.
Jadran Split vs Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd have beaten Jadran Split in all three of their meetings this season. Jadran have had an inconsistent European campaign, including a crushing 6:18 home defeat to Marseille and an 8:17 loss to Novi Beograd. Still, recent strong form in the Croatian League—where they lead the finals 2–0 against Mladost—indicates a resurgence.
Both sides have big domestic matches ahead. Jadran could clinch the Croatian title on Saturday, while Novi Beograd must beat Radnicki on Sunday to stay in the Serbian League title race. Expect squad rotation and tactical conservatism from both.
Group B Preview
Remaining Fixtures:
- Ferencvaros vs Oradea (Budapest)
- Barceloneta vs Savona (Barcelona)
Standings before Round 6:
- Ferencvaros – 13 pts
- Barceloneta – 11 pts
- Savona – 6 pts
- Oradea – 0 pts
With the top two spots locked in, Group B’s matches carry little weight in the standings, but serve as valuable preparation ahead of the Final Four.
Ferencvaros vs Oradea
The reigning champions from Hungary are heavy favorites at home against Oradea. Both sides are coming off intense domestic battles—Ferencvaros recently went 2–0 up in the Hungarian League finals against Vasas, while Oradea just emerged from a grueling semifinal series against Dinamo Bucharest.
Ferencvaros won the reverse fixture comfortably and are expected to maintain top spot with another win.
Barceloneta vs Savona
Barceloneta, like Ferencvaros, are just one win away from a national title and will look to fine-tune their game against Savona. The Spanish club secured a crucial away win (14:11) in Italy earlier in the campaign and should have few issues repeating that success at home.
Savona, who missed out on the Italian final, are currently playing a third-place playoff series against Trieste. With little left to play for in Europe, motivation may be low, while Barceloneta will use the match to build rhythm ahead of Malta.
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