Sabadell beat Barcelona to set up fourth straight final against Barceloneta

For the fourth year in a row, the Spanish Championship final will be contested by Barceloneta and Sabadell.

Sabadell booked their place in the gold medal series with a 14-12 victory over Barcelona in the decisive third match of their semifinal, joining Barceloneta, who had already secured their final spot after winning their series against Terrassa in two games.

It means Spanish water polo’s leading rivalry will once again decide the title, with Barceloneta and Sabadell meeting in the final for the fourth consecutive season.

Sabadell’s route to the final, however, was far from straightforward. The semifinal series began with Barcelona claiming victory in a shootout in Sabadell, putting pressure on their rivals from the very start. Sabadell responded impressively in the second game, winning 8-4 away from home to force a decisive third meeting.

On paper, the final score of the third game suggested another tight contest. In reality, Sabadell built their victory on a dominant spell in the first half.

The opening minutes were evenly balanced, with the teams level at 2-2 after four minutes. From there, Sabadell took control. The hosts produced a decisive 6-0 run, moving into an 8-2 lead by the 15th minute and putting Barcelona in serious trouble before half-time.

Sabadell maintained that six-goal advantage deep into the match, still leading 14-8 in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Even with one minute remaining, Barcelona trailed 14-10 and Sabadell remained in a commanding position.

Barcelona did reduce the deficit with two goals in the final 31 seconds, but the late comeback only narrowed the scoreline rather than changing the outcome.

Brazilian Rafael Real Vergara led Sabadell with four goals, while Barroso, Cabanas, Averka and Perez each scored twice. For Barcelona, Dutchman Mart van der Weijden was the standout scorer with four goals.

Sabadell’s win confirms another familiar final pairing in Spain, with Barceloneta now waiting in the championship series.