Title-holders Ferencvaros and two-time finalists Novi Beograd will go head-to-head in Sunday’s Champions League final after both sides came through tense semifinals in Malta.
Ferencvaros 14–11 Marseille
Ferencvaros booked their spot in the final with a 14:11 victory over Marseille, but it was far from a comfortable evening for the reigning champions. The Hungarians flew out of the blocks, racing into a 3:0 lead before extending their advantage to 8:4 by halftime.
Marseille, however, refused to go quietly. Led by veterans Prlainovic and Vernoux, the French champions clawed their way back into the game, equalizing at 10:10 midway through the fourth quarter. But just as the momentum appeared to shift, Ferencvaros showed their quality and composure.
A clutch goal from Dusan Mandic broke Marseille’s scoring run, before Gergo Fekete and Adam Nagy added late power-play goals to extinguish any hopes of a Marseille upset. The win sees Ferencvaros reach their second consecutive Champions League final and gives them a chance to defend the title they won in 2024.
Ferencvaros scorers: Mandic 2, Nagy 2, Vamos 2, Di Somma, Vigvari, Manhercz, Jansik, De Toro (1 each)
Marseille scorers: Prlainovic 3, Vernoux 3, Bodegas, Marion-Vernoux, Crousillat (1 each)
Novi Beograd 15–14 Barceloneta (10:10 FT, 5:4 PSO)
Earlier in the evening, Novi Beograd came through a dramatic penalty shootout against Barceloneta after the match ended 10:10 in regular time. The Serbian side looked to have sealed the win in regulation, taking a 10:9 lead with less than a minute to play. But Barceloneta, with goalkeeper Unai Aguirre joining the attack, pulled off a last-second equalizer through Alex Burian to force penalties.
In the shootout, both teams scored their first four penalties. But in the decisive fifth round, Novi Beograd goalkeeper Milan Glusac made a crucial save against Barceloneta’s Biel. Moments later, captain Milos Cuk slotted home the winning penalty to seal Novi Beograd’s place in their third Champions League final in the past four seasons.
It was a match full of twists. Novi Beograd had started brightly with goals from Martinovic and Gladovic, but Barceloneta – powered by five goals from Álvaro Granados – battled back. The Spanish champions even held the lead at 7:6 and 9:8 in the second half, but Novi Beograd’s resilience once again came to the fore in clutch moments.
Novi Beograd scorers: Skoumpakis 2, Martinovic 2, Cuk 2, Gbadamassi, Gladovic, Dimitrijevic, Perkovic (1 each)
Barceloneta scorers: Granados 5, Burian 2, Munarriz, Sanahuja, Vigvari (1 each)
Final: Ferencvaros vs Novi Beograd – Sunday, Malta
This year’s final will be a rematch of last season’s semifinal, where Ferencvaros edged Novi Beograd in a penalty shootout before going on to defeat Pro Recco for the title.
Ferencvaros are aiming to become the first team since Recco to win back-to-back titles, while Novi Beograd continue their hunt for a maiden Champions League crown after finishing runners-up in 2022 and 2023.
Both teams have unfinished business — and with their firepower, experience, and recent history, Sunday’s final promises to be a classic.
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