With one round remaining in the Euro Cup Group Stage, the race for the eighth-finals is almost complete. Jug and Savona had qualified two weeks ago, and this evening Terrassa, Barcelona, Szolnok and Šabac joined them with decisive victories in the fifth round. Only Group C remains unresolved, where all three contenders — Vouliagmeni, BVSC and Panathinaikos — will enter February’s final round separated by just two points.
Panathinaikos kept the group alive with a dramatic penalty-shootout win over BVSC in Athens, 21:18. Vouliagmeni stay top on 11 points, BVSC sit on 10, and Panathinaikos on 9, meaning everything will be decided in February when Vouliagmeni host Panathinaikos and BVSC face Budućnost.
One of the most anticipated fixtures of the round came in Group D, where Šabac defeated Savona 13:9 to secure their place in the last 16. Savona remain top thanks to their five-goal win in the reverse fixture, but Šabac’s victory confirmed both teams’ progression. Spandau stayed mathematically alive with a home win over Steaua but were eliminated an hour later following Šabac’s result.
The remaining three qualifiers all earned their spots with strong away performances. Terrassa beat Solaris 18:15 in Group A to join group-leaders Jug in the next phase. In Group B, Szolnok defeated Trieste 15:12, while Barcelona delivered a commanding 19:10 victory in Bucharest against Dinamo.
The sixth and final round of the Group Stage will be played in February, following the European Championships in Belgrade.
2026 Euro Cup – Group Stage, Round 5
Group A
Jug continued their dominant run with a 19:10 home victory over ASC Duisburg. Already confirmed as group winners, the Croatians played without veterans Maro Joković and Andro Bušlje but still controlled the match. Zuvela led the scoring with six goals, supported by Pavlić and Kulas with three each.
Terrassa claimed the second qualification spot with a crucial win over Solaris. The hosts needed a victory to stay alive and twice held a two-goal lead at 4:2 and 5:3. Terrassa responded with a decisive five-goal surge to take a 10:7 halftime advantage. Solaris closed the gap several times in the third period, reaching 12:13, but Terrassa’s scoring depth — led by Ten Broek and Sabadell with five each — carried the visitors to an 18:15 win.
Standings: 1. Jug 15, 2. Terrassa 9, 3. Solaris 3, 4. ASC Duisburg 3.
Group B
Barcelona became the first team in Group B to secure qualification, defeating Dinamo Bucharest 19:10. Dinamo narrowed the score to 4:5 in the second quarter, but Barcelona replied with a powerful 6:2 run that created an insurmountable gap.
Szolnok followed Barcelona into the last 16 with a disciplined 15:12 win at Trieste. The Italians led for most of the first half, but Szolnok took control late in the second quarter when Kovács scored from a penalty to give the Hungarians their first lead. A decisive five-goal streak pushed Szolnok ahead 12:7, and although Trieste threatened a comeback, the visitors remained in control. The group winner will be decided in February when Barcelona host Szolnok.
Standings: 1. Barcelona 12, 2. Szolnok 12, 3. Trieste 6, 4. Dinamo 0.
Group C
Vouliagmeni rebounded with a convincing 19:9 win over Budućnost, though the Montenegrin side stayed close until early in the third quarter at 7:7. Vouliagmeni then shifted gears, scoring four goals in under two minutes, and dominated the rest of the match.
Panathinaikos and BVSC produced one of the most dramatic games of the competition. BVSC took the first two-goal lead of the match at 8:6, but Panathinaikos answered with a strong third quarter and moved ahead midway through the final period. BVSC turned the match around with three straight goals and led 17:16 entering the last minute, but Gkiouvetsis equalised on a man-up with 15 seconds remaining. In the shootout, Panathinaikos converted four of their attempts while BVSC scored only once.
The group will be decided in the final round, with all three contenders still in the race for two spots.
Standings: 1. Vouliagmeni 11, 2. BVSC 10, 3. Panathinaikos 9, 4. Budućnost 0.
Group D
Spandau kept their hopes alive with a 13:10 home win over Steaua. A 3:0 run in the second quarter gave the Germans control of the match, and although Steaua worked the deficit down to two goals several times, Spandau managed the game well. Their chances, however, ended once Šabac defeated Savona.
Šabac delivered a statement performance against Savona, winning 13:9 to clinch qualification and draw level on 12 points. The Serbian side opened with a commanding 4:1 first quarter and regained control after Savona briefly equalised at 4:4. A 4:0 surge in the third period pushed Šabac to an 11:6 lead and momentarily threatened to overturn the head-to-head disadvantage. Savona, playing with only 12 players and later reduced to 10 following a red card for Leinweber, avoided a heavier defeat and remain favourites to top the group.
Standings: 1. Savona 12, 2. Šabac 12, 3. Spandau 6, 4. Steaua 0.
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