Euro Cup Men: Last season’s runners-up Radnicki set sights on going one better as Eight Finals begin
As the eliminated Champions League teams enter the fray, there are several highly anticipated clashes lined up for the Eight Finals of the men’s Euro Cup, which start this week. Last year’s runners-up SPD Radnicki travel to CN Barcelona as they look to get over the disappointment of missing out on a place in the quarter-final stage of the top-tier tournament. Elsewhere, at least one Hungarian team is guaranteed to reach the next round after Vasas Plaket and BVSC Manna ABC were drawn together.
2025/26 Euro Cup Men
Eight Finals, First-Legs
Wednesday 25 February
(Local times shown)
*21:00: Panathinaikos AC (GRE) v Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE)
*To be played Tuesday 24 February
Panathinaikos AC took a rocky road to the Eight Finals, only qualifying on the final day of the Group Stage with a memorable 12-14 victory away at domestic rivals Vouliagmeni.
Their reward was a clash with Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi, who were eliminated from the Champions League after suffering a 12-15 home defeat to Novi Beograd in their last game of the Group Stage.
The Montenegrins found the going difficult against NBG’s defence and when they did find a way through, they were thwarted by the heroics of goalkeeper Milan Glusac between the posts.
Since losing to Vouliagmeni on penalties at home in the Euro Cup in November, Panathinaikos have been on a remarkable run, winning 13 games in a row, including seven straight victories at home in the Euro Cup and Greek A1 league.
“The match against Herceg Novi will be tough as they are a good team,” said Panathinaikos head coach Dimitris Mazis. “We have prepared ourselves for a strong match and we must stay focused if we are to achieve a good result at home.”
Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi will have to get over the disappointment of dropping down to the Euro Cup and handle the intimidating atmosphere inside Panathinaikos’ arena if they are to progress.
19:30: CSM Oradea (ROU) v CN Terrassa (ESP)
Romania’s CSM Oradea only managed to win three points in the Champions League Group Stage before crashing out of the competition, but their coach, Petar Kovacevic, is confident his team will fare better in the Euro Cup despite having a busy schedule.
“We are facing a full week of action, as we have three games between the 25th of February and 1st of March,” he told European Aquatics. “The first one is against Terrassa, who are one of Spain’s top teams, that have tradition, international experience and know how to play at this level.
“We have also gathered international experience over the years and by joining the advanced stages of the Euro Cup, this is a great opportunity to show ourselves we belong here.
“I fully trust my team and I consider my players to be the best. We are confident ahead of all these fixtures. We have prepared well in the past few weeks and now it’s time to play.”
The last time these two sides clashed in Europe was in the Champions League qualifiers in September 2019, with the Spaniards winning that tie 16-12 on aggregate over two legs (10-7, 6-5).
“We approach the Eight Finals with great excitement,” said Terrassa head coach Sergi Mora. “The truth is we are really looking forward to these two games.
“We want to compete in both of them, first in Romania and then at home. We’re ready.
“During the European Championships break, the team have been working very hard. We’re improving game by game and we’re going all-in.
“We’re heading to Oradea aiming to win and to compete until the very end, and the return leg at home will feel like another final.
“Reaching this stage is already a great achievement, but obviously we want more. We’re ready and highly motivated.”
19:30: CN Sabadell (ESP) v VK Sabac Elixir (SRB)
Sabadell had mixed fortunes in the Champions League, beating last season’s Final Four participants Marseille at home and away, but losing to Waspo 98 Hannover also at home and away, which ultimately cost them a place in the next phase.
Instead they dropped down to the Euro Cup, where VK Sabac Elixir await.
“We play the first game at home, so we are expecting a good duel against Sabac,” said Sabadell’s Kanstantsin Averka. “We are also expecting Sabac to have a strong defence and attack.
“I think they will be two hard games and very close ones. We obviously want to win, though, and our aim is to qualify for the Quarter Finals.”
Sabadell and Sabac’s last clash in Europe was in the Champions League qualifiers in September 2024. The Spaniards won that by five goals, 14-9, so the Serbians will be looking to push them more this time and keep the tie alive ahead of the second-leg at home.
19:00: RN Savona (ITA) v CN Marseille (FRA)
“After our elimination from the Champions League, the Euro Cup has become a top priority,” stated Marseille coach Milos Scepanovic ahead of their visit to RN Savona. “We are working to become more consistent, as our performances still fluctuate between good and less convincing spells.
“Savona are a very strong team, so it’s up to us to do everything we can to secure a win away from home on Wednesday.”
“Dropping from the Champions League may have been disappointing, but our motivation remains fully intact for the Euro Cup,” added Marseille captain Ugo Crousillat. “Facing Savona in the Eight Finals will be a tough challenge, but we are determined to impose our style of play and give our very best.”
Marseille lost their last four games in the Champions League, so will be looking to return to winning ways in Europe this week.
Savona, meanwhile, were undefeated in regular time at home in the Euro Cup Group Stage, comfortably beating Sabac (17-12) and Spandau (17-11), but lost on the final day (when their progression was already secure) to Steaua Bucharest after a shootout, 13-13 (3-4P).
This is also a competition the Italians have reached the final of five times, lifting the trophy on three occasions (2005, 2011 and 2012) and finishing runners-up twice (2010 and 2023).
20:00: Vasas Plaket (HUN) v BVSC Manna ABC (HUN)
“Vasas are a great team and this tie presents two tough games for us,” BVSC’s Nika Shushiashvili told European Aquatics. “Last weekend, we played against them at home in the Hungarian league [winning 11-10], and both teams know each other well.
“At their pool, I expect a completely different game on Wednesday night and I hope we can manage to find a way to win again.”
BVSC coach Daniel Varga added, “My team are ready for this battle and we will need to focus on their key players if we are to succeed.
“Vasas are big rivals of ours and they are well prepared tactically, but I can say that about my team as well. We are ready to play against them and I’m looking forward to both games.”
Recent history suggests an exciting and close clash is on the cards, as only one goal separated the two teams last weekend in their OB I tie and their game before that ended in a shootout, which Vasas won 5-6 after a 12-12 tie.
18:00: Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) v VK Jadran Split (CRO)
“We know there are no easy games in the Eight Finals,” Szolnok coach Zoltan Hangay told European Aquatics before hosting VK Jadran Split. “We know what a strong team Jadran are. They create a lot of counter-attacks and have two very good center forwards.
“We are talking about the reigning Croatian champions and a team strengthened by several Croatian international stars.
“We obviously respect our opponents, but in the first-leg, we want to achieve a result that gives us a real chance for the return leg.”
Jadran Split had a Champions League campaign to forget, finishing bottom of their group after winning just one game, against Herceg Novi at home 15-13, but with their star-studded line-up, they were definitely a side most teams were hoping to avoid before the draw.
“I’m expecting a good match and I’m glad we are starting the first leg at home,” added Szolnok goalkeeper Otto Jozsa. “I believe we can cause an upset and defy the odds.”
20:00: CN Barcelona (ESP) v SPD Radnicki (SRB)
“Barcelona are a very high-quality team, which they have proven not only through their results in the Euro Cup, but also in the Spanish league,” Radnicki coach Uros Stevanovic told European Aquatics.
“They are excellently led by head coach Andrei Iosep and play an atypical style of water polo, with great speed and attacking creativity.
“We expect a very demanding away match, but we hope to achieve a positive result ahead of the return leg in Kragujevac.”
Last season’s Euro Cup runners-up were expected to perform much better in this season’s Champions League, but they have had to settle for another shot at the second-tier tournament.
In the last round of the Champions League, they needed a win in regular time away at Olympiacos to progress and very nearly achieved it, but they could only force a shootout, meaning Mladost took the last remaining qualification spot.
CN Barcelona – who were the top scorers in the Euro Cup Group Stage with 102 goals – will have to perform at the very top of their game to trouble the Serbians, and much better than they did in their last home game in Europe, which was a 12-16 defeat to Szolnok earlier this month.
18:00: VPK Primorac Kotor (MNE) v VK Jug AO (CRO)
The 2024 Euro Cup winners VK Jug AO were the standout performers in the Euro Cup Group Stage, winning all six of their games, and would have been the side the eliminated Champions League teams most wanted to avoid.
Primorac Kotor have not had much joy in Europe so far this season and will be eager to turn their continental fortunes around, starting this week.
In the Champions League Group Stage, they won just once, against Oradea (15-11), but their pool did include reigning champions FTC.
Primorac pushed Brescia close twice, though, and have the quality to hurt any side, so Wednesday’s first leg against Jug is expected to be an entertaining contest.
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