While the playoffs in most major European leagues are reaching their final stages, the Italian Serie A1 regular season has only just come to a close — and Pro Recco have finished it in emphatic fashion.
The Italian champions defeated rivals Brescia 19-14 in the headline match of Round 26, completing the regular season with a perfect record of 26 wins from 26 matches and the maximum 78 points.
Brescia, playing at home, still had a chance to snatch top spot before the playoffs. They trailed Pro Recco by three points going into the derby and needed a three-goal victory to move above their great rivals. But after an early lead, the hosts were quickly overpowered.
Ferrero gave Brescia the ideal start, scoring after just 28 seconds, but that was the only time the home side led. Pro Recco responded with four unanswered goals to take control at 4-1, and from that point the visitors never allowed Brescia back within touching distance.
Brescia trailed 6-4 at the first break and twice cut the gap to two in the second period, but Recco closed the half strongly with three straight goals to lead 11-6. The champions then stretched the advantage to seven in the third quarter and moved 17-9 ahead early in the fourth, before Brescia reduced the deficit late on.
Giacomo Cannella led Pro Recco with six goals, while Luke Pavillard scored four and Francesco Di Fulvio added three. Guerrato and Ferrero both struck three times for Brescia.
Elsewhere, Roma Vis Nova secured the final playoff place with a 12-8 win over fourth-placed Posillipo. The Rome side confirmed eighth place and will now face Pro Recco in the quarterfinals.
There was also a crucial result in the battle to avoid the relegation playoffs, as Olympic Roma defeated Canottieri Napoli 16-9. The victory lifted Olympic Roma into ninth place and guaranteed their place in the 2027 Serie A1, while Canottieri dropped into the relegation playoff bracket.
Trieste were the only other away winners of the round, beating Salerno 17-13 behind six goals from Montenegrin Vuk Draskovic. Draskovic finished the regular season with 104 goals, but that was only enough for second place in the scoring charts. Hungarian Oliver Leinweber ended as the league’s top scorer with 107 goals for Savona, while compatriot Balazs Erdely finished third with 80 for De Akker.
Savona, who finished third, defeated Iren Genova Quinto 16-13 — a result with immediate relevance, as the two sides will meet again next weekend in the playoff quarterfinals.
In Sicily, Ortigia edged Telimar 20-18 in a high-scoring derby to climb to 11th place. That result gives Ortigia home advantage in their relegation playoff semifinal against the same opponent.
Already relegated Florentia signed off from the top division with an 18-14 win over De Akker, who remained seventh.
The playoff quarterfinals will be played as best-of-three series, beginning next weekend. The semifinals are scheduled to start on June 16, after the Champions League Final Four in Malta.
Results — Round 26
Brescia 14-19 Pro Recco
Salerno 13-17 Trieste
Savona 16-13 Iren Genova Quinto
Ortigia 20-18 Telimar
Florentia 18-14 De Akker
Roma Vis Nova 12-8 Posillipo
Olympic Roma 16-9 Canottieri Napoli
Final standings
- Pro Recco – 26 – 78pts
- Brescia – 26 – 72pts
- Savona – 26 – 65pts
- Posillipo – 26 – 45pts
- Trieste – 26 – 44pts
- Quinto – 26 – 38pts
- De Akker – 26 – 35pts
- Roma Vis Nova – 26 – 33pts
- Olympic Roma – 26 – 29pts
- Canottieri Napoli – 26 – 28pts
- Ortigia – 26 – 24pts
- Telimar – 26 – 23pts
- Salerno – 26 – 18pts
- Florentia – 26 – 14pts
Playoff quarterfinals
Pro Recco vs Roma Vis Nova
Brescia vs De Akker
Savona vs Quinto
Posillipo vs Trieste
Relegation playoffs
Canottieri Napoli vs Salerno
Ortigia vs Telimar
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