Players and coaches ready for 2025/26 men’s Euro Cup qualification tournaments

As the 16 men’s water polo teams prepare to contest the Euro Cup Qualification Round in Athens, Montpellier, Sibinik and Terrassa this weekend, European Aquatics spoke to the coaches and players ahead of the opening clashes on Friday. The competition is set to be fierce as only seven tickets are available for the main competition, with just the four group winners and top three runners-up set to progress.

2025/26 Euro Cup Men
Qualification Round
Day 1, Friday 3rd October
(Local times shown)

Group A Athens (GRE)

19:00: ZV De Zaan (NED) v A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)
21:00: GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) v Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)

Group B Montpellier (FRA)

18:30: BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB) v Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)
20:30: Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) v Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Group C Sibinik (CRO)

18:00: CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU) v CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
20:00: VK Solaris Sibinik (CRO) v WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)

Group D Terrassa (ESP)

19:00: CN Terrassa (ESP) v OSC Potsdam (GER)
21:00: Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) v Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)

Group A
Athens (GRE)

ZV De Zaan (NED), A-Polo Sport Management (GEO), GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) & Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)

After making it all the way to the semi-finals of the Challenger Cup last season, Dutch side ZV De Zaan are preparing to take a step up and compete in the Euro Cup Qualification Round.

Head coach Andreas Miralis is under no illusions his team face some tough games, but he and his players are looking forward to the challenges ahead.

‘This is a good opportunity for our team to test ourselves at a higher level,’ said Miralis. ‘Our squad consists mainly of young players and our goal is to get experiences and grow as a team through these games.’

‘After reaching the semi-finals of the Challenger Cup last season, we’re excited to compete at a higher level,’ added left-hander Phil Brantjes. ‘This is a great chance for us to show our progress, challenge ourselves against strong opponents, and represent De Zaan on the international stage.’

‘We are really excited to take part in the Euro Cup,’ concluded De Zaan’s Dutch international Daan Bakker. ‘We’ve had an intense preparation and built a strong foundation to be able to play these matches. We are ready.’

One of the teams standing in their way are the hosts, GS Apollon Smyrnis, who finished third in their Group in last season’s Euro Cup and they have been busy reinforcing their squad heavily over the summer.

‘We want to progress and go as far as possible,’ Apollon captain Manolis Solanakis told his club website. ‘This time we are organising the group at home. It will be a great joy, a great celebration, and we are definitely aiming for the first place. Our fans, who have been with us and supporting us all these years, will also be our extra driving force.

‘I hope that in the end everything goes well and we can all celebrate the qualification together. I am optimistic.’

German giants Spandau 04 Berlin, who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Champions League last month after losing both their qualification games by just one goal – against KEIO CN Sabadell (11-12) and Vasas Plaket (16-17) – will also be strong contenders for the top spot.

Completing the group are Georgian champions A-Polo Sport Management, who ended Dinamo Tibilisi’s domestic dominance last season and arrive via a successful four-day training camp in Istanbul with big ambitions.

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB), Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA), Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) & Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Greece’s Vouliagmeni NC, Serbia’s BVK Crvena Zvezda, France’s Montpellier Water Polo and Italy’s Pallanuoto Trieste will all fancy their chances of qualifying from this difficult looking group.

Vouliagmeni recently endured a disappointing Champions League qualifying campaign, losing both their games – against HAVK Mladost (4-16) and AN Brescia (13-15) – and will be aiming to produce much better performances in Montpellier.

Crvena Zvezda started this season’s new VRL League with a 13-7 defeat to Novi Beograd earlier this week, and head coach Aleksandar Filipović is expecting more tough competition this weekend.

‘It will be extremely difficult and demanding. I believe we are in a very tough group with very challenging opponents. However, we have prepared well and I expect we can qualify,’ said Filipovic.

‘Montpellier, as the hosts, surely have the ambition to advance. Trieste are a very tough Italian team, very fast, and I expect a very difficult match. The same goes for Vouliagmeni, a team that has shown for many years that it belongs at the very top of European water polo and that it can surprise any opponent.

‘It is true this year they have a slightly younger team, but they are surely very well prepared for this tournament. It will be extremely difficult for us, but if we play everything we agreed upon and prepared for, I expect us to qualify.’

While Pallanuoto Trieste’s women have reached the final of the Euro Cup in the past two seasons, their men are yet to reach such heights, but will still arrive in France with high hopes.

A successful 2024/25 saw the Italians finish fourth in their domestic A1 national division, after losing to Brescia and Savona in the end-of-season play-offs.

‘We have been preparing for this Qualification Round for a long time,’ said Trieste’s Edoardo Manzi. ‘We are ready for a battle, as we know in this group we will face three excellent teams, but for sure we will give 100% and we’ll see what happens.’

The hosts, Montpellier, meanwhile, will have to change their recent fortunes if they are to progress, as they’ve started the 2025/26 French Elite Championnat season with back-to-back losses, against Marseille (21-10) and Strasbourg (25-14).

Group C
Sibinik (CRO)

CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU), CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU), VK Solaris Sibinik (CRO) & WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)

Group C pits Romanian rivals CS Rapid Bucharest against CSA Steaua Bucharest. Rapid finished fourth last season in their national league, two places behind Steaua.

‘It is a special moment for Rapid to return to European competitions after more than 20 years, since the 2003–2004 season,’ said Rapid head coach Szilárd Demeter. ‘We are proud to be back on this stage and highly motivated to represent our club and our supporters.

‘This will also be a great experience for our young team, helping them grow and gain confidence at international level. We have worked hard in training, and our focus will be on discipline, teamwork, and giving our best performance in the pool.’

Hosts Solaris will be the team to beat and head coach Bruno Sabioni insists his team are ready for the clashes ahead, despite opening their domestic campaign with a 12-10 loss to Mornar last week.

‘After seven weeks of quality preparations, with a strong focus on teamwork and building our game, we are ready to welcome the Euro Cup qualifying tournament that will take place in our city, in our pool, and in front of our home crowd,’ said Sabioni.

‘Our preparation period included a tournament in Zagreb in early September, followed by training matches at home against Jadran and Zadar, and final sessions in Hungary with the Kaposvár team. We believe this has given us the best possible foundation to enter the tournament in good form.

‘We do not want to make big promises or flashy announcements, but we have a strong desire to play a quality tournament, to show the results of our work and effort, and to take every opportunity that comes our way. Our main goal is to secure a place in the Euro Cup group stage, which would be a significant achievement for our club and our supporters.’

Solaris captain Andrija Vlahovic is equally looking forward to the games this weekend.

‘We are playing at home in front of our own crowd and it is a great honour to host a European tournament in our town,’ said Vlahovic. ‘We are motivated, ready and we are entering the tournament with only one goal, getting through the group. With all due respect to our opponents, that is our mindset!’

Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi may have lost a few key players over the summer, but their confidence remains high.

‘Our full focus has been directed towards the Euro Cup qualification stage,’ said Dinamo captain Revaz Imnaishvili. ‘Our opponents are strong and competitive teams, so we have been determined to prepare in the best possible way to achieve results. I am confident my team and I will demonstrate our maximum potential.

‘This year, we will present even younger players in the Euro Cup. With the addition of new players, an exciting season awaits, full of challenges and fresh opportunities. We will continue to pursue our objectives step by step, while also setting new goals along the way.’

‘We are starting the new season with new challenges, and practically with a new team,’ added head coach Irakli Gogelia. ‘This year, we have found ourselves in a different reality – with new members who are still in the process of adapting, while collectively working on developing our tactics and building team unity.

‘At this stage, it is important for us to achieve the best possible result in the Euro Cup with this renewed team and continue our performance in the national championship.

‘I believe the first round will be tough and full of challenges. The players are highly motivated, and the fact that we are a new team does not intimidate us. These matches will be crucial for us, as they will reveal the team’s dynamics and progress.

‘We face strong opponents, two of the best Romanian clubs, as well as Solaris, a team that competes at a very high level and consistently performs well against Europe’s top sides. We will see what results we can achieve, but one thing is certain – an exciting season ahead.’

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP), OSC Potsdam (GER), Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) & Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)

Hosts CN Terrassa and Hungarians Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker look to be the front-runners in this group. Pays d’Aix Natation may have had some good preparation in the recent Champions League qualifiers, but they’ll need much better performances this weekend if they are to compete for the top spots.

‘Playing at home, always gives you an extra boost of energy,’ said Terrassa captain Ricard Alarcón. ‘Being in our pool and with our people, it’s the kind of stage everyone would love to play.

‘I think the teams are quite evenly matched in terms of level, but I believe if we’re at our best, we can fight for the top spot. We hope the stands are as full as possible, and we’ll do everything we can to give the fans that first-place finish.’

Terrassa coach Sergi Mora, meanwhile, is fully aware of the difficulties his team will face, but is also eyeing the top spot.

‘European games are always tough, as the opponents are always the best from the other leagues,’ said Mora. ‘We are approaching this weekend with huge excitement. The team has been training since August 18th, and you can really see how eager they are to play a European stage here at home. We’ll fight for every ball as if it were the last.

‘Obviously, being at home we’re motivated to move on to the next round, but it won’t be easy. The real objective is the team’s growth. With a new coach and new players, it’s all part of a process.’

If the hosts are to advance, they’re likely going to have to beat Szolnoki, who won the bronze in the Hungarian cup recently, and captain Gergo Kovács is a doubt for them after suffering a nose injury.

‘I believe the two games we had in Hungarian Cup Final Four were great preparation,’ said Szolnoki head coach Zoltán Hangay. ‘We are happy to represent Hungary once again in an international cup. We will do everything to reach the group stage, where this young team can develop the most and gain valuable experience.’

OSC Potsdam are the fourth team in Group D and have one of the youngest rosters in Europe.

‘We are looking forward to playing on the international stage again,’ said Potsdam’s Thilp Popp, 27. ‘We have a very young team this year, with a lot of motivation. We will do the best we can to compete with these teams.’

‘Entering this tournament with one of the youngest teams in this strong field is difficult but a great challenge.’ added Potsdam coach Alexander Tchigir. ‘We want to use the experience from this weekend to help us be successful in the Bundesliga again this season.’

All 16 teams will be looking to fill one of the seven spots available in the main Euro Cup Group Stage, where they will join the likes of VK Jug AO, CN Barcelona, BVSC Manna ABC and RN Savona.

Euro Cup Men
2025/26 Group Stage
October 16th-February 12th

Group A
VK Jug AO (CRO), Duisburg (GER), Winner Qualification Group C, Winner Qualification Group D

Group B
CN Barcelona (ESP), CS Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU), Winner Qualification Group B, 3rd-best 2nd-place team in Qualification

Group C
BVSC Manna ABC (HUN), Panathinaikos AC (GRE), PVK Buducnost Podgorica (MNE), 1st-best 2nd-placed team in Qualification

Group D
RN Savona (ITA), VK Sabac Elixir (SRB), Winner Qualification Group A, 2nd-best 2nd-placed team in Qualification

For the full schedule/results and standings of the Euro Cup Men Qualification Round, click here

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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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