The biggest competition in club water polo returns this week, as 16 teams begin their pursuit of the Champions League title and a place at the 2027 Final Four in Belgrade.
Reigning champions Barceloneta lead another fiercely competitive field, while Pro Recco, Ferencvaros and Olympiacos return after joining the Spanish champions at last season’s Final Four.
Radnicki have strengthened significantly, Marseille return after winning the Euro Cup and Panathinaikos arrive as an intriguing Champions League newcomer.
The 16 clubs are divided into four groups of four, with the top two from each advancing to the quarter-final stage.
Group A: Olympiacos favourites, but second place wide open
Olympiacos, Jadran Herceg Novi, Hannover, Sabadell
Olympiacos will be expected to lead Group A after finishing fourth in last season’s competition.
The Greek giants have undergone some significant changes. Konstantinos Kakaris, Dimitrios Nikolaidis and Gergo Zalanki have departed, but Elvis Fatovic’s side have responded with the additions of Luka Loncar, Loren Fatovic and Semir Spachits.
Behind them, the battle for second could be extremely close.
Sabadell strengthened during the summer with Spanish internationals Fran Valera and Miguel de Toro, while former Spanish international Albert Espanol has taken charge as head coach. Their Champions League qualification campaign began with a 16-15 defeat to Brescia, but victories against Budva and A-Polo ultimately secured their place in the group stage.
Jadran Herceg Novi have also undergone major changes but remain capable of challenging for qualification, while Hannover cannot be discounted after surprisingly reaching the quarter-final stage last season, finishing ahead of both Marseille and Sabadell.
The first meeting between Jadran and Sabadell on Tuesday could already prove important in the fight for second.
Group B: Recco and Radnicki headline group of death
Pro Recco, Radnicki, Brescia, Oradea
There is little room for error in Group B.
Pro Recco came agonisingly close to reclaiming the Champions League last season before losing to Barceloneta in the final. Their latest attempt will be their first in more than a decade without Francesco Di Fulvio, who has moved to Barceloneta.
Gergo Zalanki and goalkeeper Marko Bijac have returned, however, joining a squad already featuring Alvaro Granados, Max Irving, Giacomo Cannella and Francesco Condemi.
Radnicki may represent an even bigger threat than last season. Andrija Prlainovic, Nikola Jaksic, Dusko Pijetlovic, Strahinja Rasovic, Sava Randjelovic, Angelos Vlachopoulos and Josip Vrlic give Uros Stevanovic a squad packed with international experience.
Brescia are younger than in recent seasons but remain dangerous. Alessandro Bovo’s team already demonstrated that during qualification, including their dramatic 16-15 victory over Sabadell.
Oradea complete an unforgiving group and will need to produce some major results if they are to repeat their run to the quarter-final stage from two seasons ago.
There is no gentle introduction either. Brescia host Recco on Tuesday evening in one of the standout matches of the opening round.
Group C: Champions Barceloneta face three difficult trips
Barceloneta, Mladost, Novi Beograd, Jadran Split
Barceloneta begin the defence of their European crown with arguably an even stronger squad than the one which lifted the trophy last season.
Fran Fernandez has retained the core of his championship-winning team and added one of the world’s outstanding players in Francesco Di Fulvio.
He joins the likes of Unai Aguirre, Alberto Munarriz, Bernat Sanahuja, Roger Tahull, Vince Vigvari and Gonzalo Echenique, making Barceloneta the clear favourites to win Group C and one of the leading contenders for the title.
They will nevertheless have to negotiate difficult away matches in Zagreb, Split and Belgrade.
Novi Beograd have moved away from the superstar-heavy squads of recent years, but they remain dangerous. New coach Zoran Bajic oversees a younger group led by experienced figures such as Milos Cuk and Vasilije Martinovic.
Mladost are reigning Croatian champions but lost several important players during the summer, including Loncar, Kharkov and Vrlic. Australian left-hander Luke Pavillard is among their new additions.
Jadran Split have undergone an even bigger rebuild following the departures of Bijac, Loren Fatovic and Jerko Marinic Kragic. Their young squad nevertheless came through qualification after beating Honved and competing closely with Panathinaikos.
Wednesday’s opening round immediately gives us a Croatian derby between Mladost and Jadran, just days after Mladost’s emphatic 18-10 victory over their rivals in the Croatian Super Cup.
Group D: Ferencvaros face Marseille and ambitious Panathinaikos
Ferencvaros, Marseille, Steaua Bucharest, Panathinaikos
Perhaps the most intriguing battle for qualification comes in Group D.
Ferencvaros remain among the strongest teams in Europe and will be determined to return to the final after finishing third last season.
There has been little need for major reconstruction in Budapest. Dusan Mandic, Soma Vogel, Krisztian Manhercz, Stylianos Argyropoulos, Marton Vamos and Edoardo Di Somma remain, while the arrival of Greek centre forward Konstantinos Kakaris has made an already formidable squad even stronger.
Marseille should again pose a major threat. The French champions failed to progress from the Champions League group stage last season but responded by going all the way in the Euro Cup.
Then comes Panathinaikos.
The Greeks were impressive in qualification, beating Jadran Split and Honved to reach the group stage, and have assembled a team capable of doing more than simply making up the numbers.
Dimitrios Skoumpakis, Dimitrios Nikolaidis and Vincenzo Dolce are among the major names in the squad, alongside USA goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg.
Marseille host Panathinaikos on Wednesday in a match that could have major implications for qualification, while Ferencvaros begin at home against Steaua.
Champions League – Matchday 1
Tuesday, October 6 – CET
- 18:30 – Hannover vs Olympiacos
- 18:30 – Jadran Herceg Novi vs Sabadell
- 18:30 – Oradea vs Radnicki
- 20:30 – Brescia vs Pro Recco
Wednesday, October 7 – CET
- 18:30 – Ferencvaros vs Steaua Bucharest
- 20:30 – Barceloneta vs Novi Beograd
- 20:30 – Mladost vs Jadran Split
- 20:30 – Marseille vs Panathinaikos
The road to Belgrade begins on Tuesday, with Europe’s biggest clubs once again chasing water polo’s most prestigious club trophy.
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