Pro Recco and Ferencvaros, the two leading favourites for the 2026 Champions League title, officially secured their places at the Final Four in Malta after victories in Round 5 of the Quarter Final Stage on Tuesday evening.
The Italian giants overcame a determined challenge from HAVK Mladost in Zagreb, claiming a hard-fought 17:14 victory, while Ferencvaros cruised past Waspo 98 Hannover with a dominant 17:8 win in Budapest.
With one round remaining, both clubs are level on points at the top of Group B, although Pro Recco remain first thanks to their superior head-to-head record. Barring a major surprise in the final round, the standings are unlikely to change, with Recco hosting Hannover and Ferencvaros welcoming Mladost next week.
Mladost pushed Pro Recco throughout an entertaining contest in Zagreb, but the visitors always appeared to have an extra gear when required. The Croatian side briefly led 1:0 in the opening possession, yet it proved to be their only advantage of the evening.
Despite several strong saves from young goalkeeper Mauro Ivan Cubranic, Pro Recco gradually established control during the first quarter. Goals from Max Irving and Francesco Di Fulvio helped the Italians build a 5:2 advantage before Marko Radulovic responded late in the period.
Recco looked set to pull away early in the second quarter after Di Fulvio struck twice in succession to make it 7:3. However, Mladost refused to collapse. Improved defensive organisation and several excellent counterattacks allowed the hosts back into the game, with Radulovic reducing the deficit to 7:8 midway through the quarter.
The Croatian champions had chances to level the match but were unable to capitalise, and Alvaro Granados restored Recco’s two-goal cushion before halftime. Gianmarco Nicosia then produced a key moment just before the interval, saving a penalty from Konstantin Kharkov to preserve the visitors’ lead.
Pro Recco tightened defensively after the break and gradually extended the margin once again. Di Fulvio converted a penalty to make it 13:8 in the third quarter, seemingly putting the contest beyond doubt. Yet Mladost continued to fight, closing the period with two late goals to cut the deficit to 10:13 and keep hopes alive heading into the final eight minutes.
Andrija Basic scored twice in quick succession midway through the fourth quarter to reduce the gap to 12:14, but Recco answered immediately through Giacomo Cannella and Thomaso Pavillard. Cannella later sealed the victory on a counterattack with less than a minute remaining.
Almost every Pro Recco outfield player found the scoresheet in an impressive collective performance, while Kharkov led Mladost with four goals. Cubranic also impressed despite defeat, finishing with 15 saves.
In Budapest, Ferencvaros produced a far more comfortable evening against Hannover. The Hungarian champions raced into a 4:0 lead inside the opening six minutes and, although the Germans briefly threatened a comeback early in the second quarter, Fradi quickly restored control.
Hannover reduced the deficit to 3:4 after scoring three goals in just over a minute, but Ferencvaros responded emphatically with a 4:0 run before halftime, many of the goals coming through their efficient man-up attack.
The hosts continued to dominate after the break, extending the lead to 11:3 by the 20th minute and effectively securing qualification to Malta long before the final whistle. Ferencvaros eventually reached a ten-goal advantage late in the match before Hannover grabbed a consolation goal to complete the scoring at 17:8.
Younger players played a major role in the victory, with Vendel Vigvari leading the scoring with four goals, while Akos Nagy added three. Notably, Hannover managed to limit both Dusan Mandic and Krisztian Manhercz, but Ferencvaros still cruised to a commanding victory thanks to their depth and balance across the squad.
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