FTC to face Novi Beograd in Champions League final

Hungarian giants FTC Telekom Waterpolo’s grip on the Champions League trophy remains firmly intact, as they started and finished strongly against CN Marseille to book their place in a second successive final. The French fought back to level at 10-10 in the fourth, but FTC stepped up another gear to claim the win. Earlier, unlike last year, when Novi Beograd lost the shootout to Ferencvaros in the semis, the Serbs edged out Zodiac CNAB on penalties to advance to the Champions League final for the third time in four years. The endgame couldn’t have been any more dramatic, but the Serbs buried all their five shots.

Champions League Men
Final Four, Semi-Finals
Friday, 30 May 2025

VK Novi Beograd (SRB) 10-10 (5-4P) Zodiac CNAB (ESP)
FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) 14-11 CN Marseille (FRA)

Final Four, Finals
Sunday, 1 June 2025
(Local times shown)

19:30: Bronze Medal Game
Zodiac CNAB (ESP) v CN Marseille (FRA)
21:30: Gold Medal Game
VK Novi Beograd (SRB) v FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN)

In Friday’s second semi-final in Malta, title-holders Fradi took a monstrous start, as in less than five minutes, Stylianos Argyropoulos hit a man-up, Dusan Mandic came up with a trademark 6m blast and Vendel Vigvari sent the ball home in a dying six on five for 3-0.

Marseille were unable to make any of their six on fives – they had three, but FTC goalkeeper Soma Vogel and his defenders did a splendid job.

Then Andrija Prlainovic used all his experience to halt this fall and put the French on the scoreboard from their fourth man-up after six minutes.

However, Ferencvaros’ cannons carried on shooting, as Marton Vamos buried their next six on five and a crucial block denied Marseille in their next man-up.

At the other end, Krisztian Manhercz’s pinpoint shot also ended up behind Petar Tesanovic in the Marseille net. Prlainovic kept his side above the water as he also sent the ball home from an extra with 1.9 seconds on the clock, but the first eight minutes belonged to the title-holders who led 5-2.

The first four minutes of the second quarter were somewhat balanced, as Fradi missed their first extra while Michael Bodegas scored from close.

However, Edoardo di Somma quickly blasted one from action and the Hungarians killed Marseille’s next two man-ups, the third thanks to a turnover.

Then Thomas Vernoux sent a rocket from the perimeter, as he enjoyed some free space and since Tesanovic started to ‘meet’ the balls, Marseille had a chance to come closer.

Still, another turnover ruined their next six on five – and Adam Nagy also halted their momentum with another action blast from 7m for 7-4.

With 38 seconds remaining, the French could have had a shot to cut the gap to two – instead, another turnover and a counter, finished off by Szilard Jansik from Nagy’s incredibly smart assist, made it 8-4 at half-time.

It could have more early in the third, but Fradi wasted two six on fives, while Romain Marion-Vernoux scored a fine one from extra.

The French couldn’t build on that, and even though FTC weren’t that fierce either, when the pressure mounted, Argyropoulos put their man-up away for 9-5 deep into the third.

Bodegas netted one from the centre to keep Marseille in the game, what’s more, Ugo Crousillat cut the gap to two with 1:45 remaining.

Fradi looked a bit unbalanced, but experience and another man-up saved them as Marton Vamos decided he had seen enough from the slow passing and made it 10-7 with 32 seconds on the clock. However, this time the French came back to two at 10-8, as nothing could stop Vernoux’s rocket with 0:04 remaining.

Scoring four in the third showed that the French were on the comeback trail – and they had eight minutes to create a miracle.

Prlainovic opened the final quarter with a fine blast from the perimeter – beating Vogel, who wasn’t on top of his game – and soon Marseille had a man-up to come back to even.

It was on the edge, but Bodegas pushed the ball in from close and with 6:14 on the clock, Marseille were level at 10-10.

Again, Mandic graced the scene to save the day for Fradi, and it was an incredible shot from 8m in a dying six on five that put them back in front.

Luck was also on Fradi’s side when a rebound fell into Erik Molnar’s hand after Tesanovic’s stop in a man-down and he reset the two-goal gap at 12-10 with 4:35 remaining.

The French had the next bit of good fortune, as after Vogel’s big save, Vernoux was gifted a second attempt and he took it. Still, FTC also showed some class while setting up Miguel de Toro in a six on five for 13-11.

The Magyars, defending well once more, managed to burn some time with two shots saved to corners at the other end. Then they forced a man-up and Nagy finished it off to make it 14-11 with 1:29 remaining.

It left no way back for the French, and Vogel could finally deny Vernoux twice and that ended the contest. The title-holders cruised to the final with a great 4-1 run after 10-10 and are now looking to make history on Sunday night by becoming the first Hungarian side to retain the Champions League crown.

Earlier, in the first semi-final, VK Novi Beograd got off to a flying start, as in a span of a minute they had stormed into a 2-0 lead – thanks to a patiently-played man-up, put away by Vasilije Martinovic, followed by a quick counter, finished off by Luka Gladovic.

Between the two, a pass in a Zodiac CNAB man-up landed outside the field, showing they were yet to settle into the match. They failed to take advantage of their second six on five as well, as Milan Glusac stopped Bernat Sanahuja’s late shot, and only back-to-back saves from Unai Aguirre prevented NBG from expanding the gap.

Then, after 5:18 minutes, the Spaniards ‘arrived’ as Alberto Munarriz netted their third six on five, which was an uplifting moment for Barceloneta. Just 30 seconds later they forced a penalty and Alvaro Granados did a clean job for 2-2.

NBG replied in style, with a nice set-up finding Bilal Gbadamassi on the 2m line in their next man-up, but their next counter was ruined by a bad pass and Granados finished off the ‘re-counter’ to make it 3-3 at the first break.

After some fine defending, the Spaniards found some space again and Vince Vigvari put CNAB ahead for the first time. Not for long, though, since Milos Cuk’s pinpoint shot levelled things up once more – NBG were three from three from man-ups at this stage.

In contrast, CNAB missed another six on five and even though Aguirre denied Nikola Lukic from a nicely-played action, he couldn’t do much with Dimitrios Skoumpakis’ rocket, which sailed through the blocking hands from 8m for 5-4.

The Spaniards wasted another extra (they were one from five at this point), but NBG also missed their first one shortly before the middle break, so they led by one at half-time.

NBG soon returned to their original path as Cuk hit another one from a man-up under time pressure for 6-4. Granados’ fierce shot also travelled to the net undisturbed in CNAB’s next six on five, but even though they earned another one soon, this time Granados hit the post.

The Serbs’ play in their next man-up looked great, but only the finish from Skoumpakis let them down.

The following minutes were crucial, as Sanahuja found the back of the net from an extra, then NBG gave the ball away in their next six on five, and Gergo Burian sent the ball home from the ensuing counter.

After 6-4, CNAB staged a 0-3 run and it could have been more, but they were unable to bury their next man-up after a time-out, and missed another one shortly before the buzzer.

Still, despite their poor conversion rate – one from five in the first half, two from five in the third – they were 6-7 up with eight minutes to go.

The Spaniards’ struggle to put away extras continued in the fourth, however, the Serbs couldn’t beat Aguirre either. At least from six on five, but Vasilije Martinovic’s brilliant lob found the net from action, to end Novi’s drought of 8:45 minutes.

Another unnecessary outside foul offered a man-up for the Spaniards and Granados scored when it mattered the most. And Aguirre came up with a great save in a man-down when it really counted, so CNAB led 7-8 as the game entered the last four minutes.

However, a sensational bouncer from Marko Dimitrijevic brought NBG back to even with 2:52 to go. In the next possession, CNAB had back-to-back man-ups, but couldn’t convert either, yet Glusac kept his hand on the saved ball too long and Roger Tahull jumped on the gift to force a penalty, which Granados buried.

NBG still held on and carried on pushing forward, finding Miroslav Perkovic in front of the goal and he calmly put the ball away from the centre for 9-9 with 1:38 on the clock.

CNAB’s next attack ended with a missed shot, then Skoumpakis waited until the last second in NBG’s possession and finished it with a perfect lob. It was an amazing play and NBG led once more, 10-9, with 42 seconds remaining.

The Spaniards went for a seven on six, but Munarriz’s shot didn’t make it through the blocks.

NBG just had to keep the ball for the last 18 seconds – but they could not. A turnover foul was called against Cuk and Burian swam away to equalise with 1.3 seconds to go and force a shootout.

Even though the Spaniards might have had the psychological edge following the dramatic endgame, they were unable to build on it.

The shooters didn’t leave much chance for the goalies in the first four rounds, then Glusac found the right direction to deny Unai Biel, and Cuk – upset with that last call in regular time – took the ultimate redemption to send his team to the final for the third time in four years.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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