Ferencvaros and Barceloneta have officially secured their spots in the Champions League Final Four, set to take place in Malta. Both clubs earned vital Round 5 victories in Group B, ensuring their mathematical qualification ahead of the final group stage match.
While qualification was expected, neither side had a straightforward path to victory.
Ferencvaros 15–11 Savona
(5:1, 3:4, 2:3, 5:3)
Ferencvaros: Argyropoulos 4, Manhercz 3, Nagy 2, Vamos 2, Di Somma 1, Mandic 1, Vigvari 1, Jansik 1.
Savona: Rizzo 3, Merkulov 2, Guidi 2, Erdelyi 2, Bruni 1, Gullotta 1.
Ferencvaros stormed out of the blocks in Budapest, dominating the opening minutes and building a commanding 5–1 lead, with Edoardo Di Somma netting against his countrymen. The hosts stretched their advantage to five goals in the second quarter (8–3), thanks to solid defense and composed finishing.
But Savona weren’t ready to roll over. A flurry of saves from Gianmarco Nicosia and three unanswered goals brought the Italians right back into the match, reducing the gap to 6–8 early in the third period. Ferencvaros endured a seven-minute scoring drought before Dusan Mandic’s man-up strike restored some breathing room at 9–6. Still, Savona continued to push, narrowing the gap to 9–8 after another goal from Rizzo.
However, title-holders Ferencvaros showed their class when it mattered most. Szilard Jansik and Krisztian Manhercz helped reestablish control, and Angelos Argyropoulos took over in the fourth—scoring twice in quick succession to push the score to 13–9 and put the game out of reach. The Hungarians closed out the game with authority and claimed their spot in Malta.
Oradea 8–14 Barceloneta
(2:3, 3:2, 3:5, 0:4)
Oradea: Gardasevic 3, Belenyesi 1, Gheorghe 1, Insinna 1, Lucian 1, Velkic 1.
Barceloneta: Granados 4, Bustos 3, Sanahuja 2, Burian 2, Biel 2, Lema 1.
Barceloneta had to come from behind in Romania after a sluggish start. Despite taking an early 3–2 lead, the Spaniards were punished for lapses in concentration in the second quarter as Oradea mounted a 3–0 run to take a 5–3 lead. Though Granados missed a penalty late in the half, Biel equalized seconds before the buzzer to level the game at 5–5.
The second half saw Barceloneta shift gears. Burian and Granados pushed them ahead, and although Oradea responded twice, Barceloneta always had an answer. Granados’ penalty conversion and clutch goals kept the visitors two steps ahead entering the final period.
In the fourth, the Spanish side shut the door. Bustos netted back-to-back power-play goals within a minute, and two more goals in the closing seconds sealed a dominant final quarter (4–0) and a comfortable 14–8 win.
Group B Standings (after 5 rounds):
- Ferencvaros – 13 pts
- Barceloneta – 11 pts
- Savona – 6 pts
- Oradea – 0 pts
Ferencvaros are likely to top the group, leading Barceloneta by two points. In the final round, Ferencvaros host Oradea, while Barceloneta take on Savona at home.
Group A – April 23 Fixtures:
- Novi Beograd vs Olympiacos
- Jadran Split vs Marseille
Current Standings:
- Marseille – 9 pts
- Novi Beograd – 9 pts
- Olympiacos – 4 pts
- Jadran Split – 2 pts
Head-to-head: Marseille vs Novi Beograd – 14:9, 14:15
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