The Champions League Quarter-Final Stage ended without any late movement in the group standings, as Pro Recco confirmed top spot in Group B and Barceloneta completed the round unbeaten.
The semi-final line-up for Malta is now set. On 11 June, Pro Recco will face Olympiacos, while Barceloneta take on Ferencvaros in the other semi-final.
The only real question heading into the final round was whether Recco would protect their position at the top of Group B. The Italian champions made no mistake, easing past Waspo 98 Hannover 19-9 at home. Ferencvaros also finished strongly, beating Mladost 16-10, but Recco’s superior head-to-head record ensured they remained first in the group.
In Group A, Barceloneta underlined their status as one of the favourites for the title with a 12-9 victory away to Olympiacos in Piraeus. The Spanish champions had already secured first place, but they still delivered another controlled performance to finish the Quarter-Final Stage with six wins from six.
Olympiacos briefly led through Alafragkis, but Barceloneta responded with three straight goals to take control late in the first quarter. Vince Vigvári, Gonzalo Echenique and Alberto Munarriz were among the key contributors as Barceloneta kept their hosts at arm’s length throughout the second half.
Brescia, meanwhile, secured third place in Group A after winning a remarkable 35-goal contest against Novi Beograd. The Serbian side led 12-8 early in the third period, but Brescia produced a strong comeback and eventually edged the match 18-17. Del Basso led the Italians with five goals, while Vasilije Martinović scored six for Novi Beograd.
In Group B, Recco were made to work early by Hannover, who levelled three times in the first quarter. But once the hosts found rhythm, they pulled away decisively. Francesco Di Fulvio scored five, while Fondelli added four and Álvaro Granados struck three in a comfortable 19-9 win.
Ferencvaros also ended their campaign with a convincing victory, despite not fielding their strongest line-up. Mladost stayed close until half-time, but FTC broke the game open with a dominant third quarter, scoring five unanswered goals on their way to a 16-10 win.
With the Quarter-Final Stage now complete, attention turns fully to Malta, where four of Europe’s biggest clubs will battle for the Champions League title.
Results
Group A
Olympiacos 9-12 Barceloneta
Novi Beograd 17-18 Brescia
Final standings:
- Barceloneta – 18pts
- Olympiacos – 8pts
- Brescia – 7pts
- Novi Beograd – 4pts
Group B
Pro Recco 19-9 Waspo 98 Hannover
Ferencvaros 16-10 Mladost
Final standings:
- Pro Recco – 15pts
- Ferencvaros – 15pts
- Mladost – 3pts
- Waspo 98 Hannover – 3pts
Semi-finals — Malta, 11 June
Pro Recco v Olympiacos
Barceloneta v Ferencvaros
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