This weekend marks the start of the Euro Cup Men water polo action, as 36 teams battle it out across eight venues for a chance to secure one of the 16 coveted spots in the Group Stage.
While some groups feature clear favourites, others promise intense clashes, as teams fight for the top two positions to advance.
All eyes will be on Group H as Pro Recco enter the unknown in the first competitive games in the post-Volpi era; their Italian rivals also feature in this competition, alongside Croatian giants Jug Dubrovnik and Mladost, and dark horses in Group C with Barcelona and Vouliagmeni.
In Group B, Italy’s powerhouse AN Brescia, a regular in the Champions League, will face stiff competition from Hungary’s Honved, Serbia’s Valis, and Montenegro’s Budvanska Rivijera, along with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s VK Banja Luka. Only two teams from this group will make it through the weekend.
Group C in Barcelona promises just as much excitement, with host CN Barcelona taking on 2023 Champions League semi-finalists Vouliagmeni from Greece, Croatia’s Solaris, and Italy’s Genova Quinto.
Croatia’s Mladost, who narrowly missed qualifying for the Champions League, will look to bounce back in Group D. However, the Croatian squad will have to battle past Greece’s Apollon (2023 Challenger Cup winners), Spain’s St. Andreu, Montenegro’s Cattaro, and Enka from Türkiye. It’s set to be a packed schedule for huge summer spenders Mladost and their fans in Zagreb.
Athens will host intense competition in Group E, where Germany’s Spandau, Hungary’s Szolnok, and Spain’s Tenerife take on local favoruites Panionios. Expect fierce battles throughout the three-day event in the Greek capital.
However, as mentioned, the most anticipated action comes from Group H, where Italian giants Pro Recco return to the stage after a turbulent summer. As one of the favorites to not only win this group but also the entire Euro Cup, Pro Recco will face last season’s finalists, Croatia’s Primorje, along with Daniel Varga’s BVSC and Spain’s Terrassa.
Reigning Euro Cup champions VK Jug Dubrovnik will begin their title defense in Group F, hosted in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Euro Cup Men 2024: Qualification Round Schedule
Dates: Thursday, 26th September – Sunday, 29th September 2024
Groups and Venues:
- Group A (Sabac): VK Sabac (SRB), CS Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU), Team Strasbourg (FRA), OSC Potsdam (GER), OSC Budapest (HUN)
- Group B (Budva): AN Brescia (ITA), VK Banja Luka (BIH), Honved (HUN), VK Valis Vega (SRB), Budvanska Rivijera (MNE)
- Group C (Barcelona): CN Barcelona (ESP), Vouliagmeni NC (GRE), VK Solaris (CRO), Iren Genova Quinto (ITA)
- Group D (Zagreb): HAVK Mladost (CRO), Enka SC (TUR), GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE), CN Sant Andreu (ESP), VA Cattaro Kotor (MNE)
- Group E (Athens): Spandau 04 (GER), Szolnoki (HUN), Panionios GSS (GRE), CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)
- Group F (Aix-en-Provence): VK Jug AO Dubrovnik (CRO), Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA), SV Ludwigsburg 08 (GER), Panathinaikos AC (GRE), De Akker Bologna (ITA)
- Group G (Kranj): Ortigia 1928 (ITA), AC PAOK (GRE), AVK Kranj (SLO), ASC Duisburg (GER)
- Group H (Budapest): BVSC(HUN), Pro Recco (ITA), Primorje (CRO), CN Terrassa (ESP)