Champions League Men: FTC and Recco victories take favourites step closer to Final Four

Title-holders FTC Telekom Waterpolo showed great strength and character in Zagreb on Day 3 of the Champions League Quarterfinals Stage, as they defeated HAVK Mladost to secure a crucial away win and end the Croats’ six-match unbeaten home run. Pro Recco maintained their perfect record in the competition so far this season, overcoming first-half defensive struggles in Hannover before pulling away for another convincing victory.

2025/26 Champions League Men
Quarterfinals Stage, Day 3

Group B
(Wednesday 1 April)

Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) 14-20 Pro Recco (ITA)
HAVK Mladost (CRO) 10-15 FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN)

Standings: 1. Pro Recco 9pts, 2. FTC 6pts, 3. Mladost 3pts, 4. Hannover 0pts

Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) 14-20 Pro Recco (ITA) (2-3, 6-7, 2-5, 4-5)

Recco had to work hard in Hannover to overcome the Germans, who fought bravely and managed to break through the Italian defence in the first half.

However, Recco’s physical superiority prevailed after the long break, as they pulled away to claim their third win in the group.

Neither side allowed the other much space, and the opening quarter already featured nine exclusions.

The Italians converted three, two through Max Irving, while the hosts kept pace with two action goals despite missing four six-on-fives.

Lukas Kueppers levelled the score early in the second period (3-3), but Recco responded with a 0-3 run.
Matteo Iocchi Gratta struck twice on man-up, while Alvaro Granados added a penalty in between for 3-6.

With four minutes remaining, the game turned into an offensive exchange, with almost every possession ending in a goal – nine in total before half-time.

Francesco di Fulvio converted a penalty with 22 seconds left, and although Hannover earned a man-up with just 0:03 to play, Zoran Bozic still managed to score, leaving it unexpectedly close at 8-10 at the turnaround.

In the third, Recco returned determined to tighten their defence – and succeeded. At the same time, they remained efficient in attack: Lukas Durik netted from the centre, and Iocchi Gratta took advantage during a six-on-five to double the lead.

Niclas Schipper replied on a man-up for Waspo, but three more goals followed for the Italians – a counter by Iocchi Gratta, an action goal from Rino Buric after a fading extra, and a fine finish from Luke Pavillard to make it 9-15.

Recco effectively decided the outcome in this period. Despite a late goal from Lazar Vukicevic, the third quarter underlined the Italians’ quality: after conceding 10 goals in the first half, including six in the second period, they restricted the Germans to just two while scoring five.

Recco’s defensive focus continued into the final quarter, as they added three more goals while allowing just one, extending the lead to 11-18.

Their grip loosened slightly in the closing minutes, allowing Hannover to score three more – as many as in the previous 13 minutes – but Recco still reached the 20-goal mark thanks to their top scorers, Iocchi Gratta with six goals and Irving with four.

It was another strong performance from the group leaders, who maintained their perfect Champions League record so far this season – nine wins from nine played.

Their next challenge is another huge clash with Fradi, this time in Liguria, following the World Cup break.

HAVK Mladost (CRO) 10-15 FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) (1-5, 3-5, 6-3, 0-2)

FTC-Telekom once more proved their tremendous quality as they halted Mladost’s unbeaten home run with a huge win.

Fradi produced a brilliant first half and, even though the Croats fought back in the third, the Magyars shut them out in the entire fourth period to secure three crucial points in the hunt for the Final Four berths.

Losing to Recco in the opening round had put Ferencvaros under pressure, and they faced their toughest challenge on Day 3 as they visited the fearsome Mladost pool, where six teams had fallen in the Champions League this season.

Fradi were aware their man-down defence would be key – and they killed Mladost’s first four six-on-fives while converting their first two, through Edoardo di Somma and Stylianos Argyropoulos.

Shortly after, still inside the first three minutes, Krisztian Manhercz finished off a counter, prompting a time-out from the home bench. Soon after, Gergo Fekete added another from 6m to complete the title-holders’ 0-4 dream start.

Luka Bukic finally converted the hosts’ fifth man-up to put Mladost on the scoreboard, but Vendel Vigvari replied from FTC’s next extra – they were 3-3 at that point.

Soma Vogel added another save before the break in a man-down, so FTC led 1-5 after eight minutes.

Manhercz earned a penalty and converted it for 1-6, then Mladost enjoyed a better spell and scored twice within a minute. However, Di Somma responded immediately, and within 30 seconds Manhercz finished another counter to restore the five-goal gap.

Vogel also saved a penalty, while Bukic scored after a corner during the remaining man-up. Still, Fradi continued to roll, as Marton Vamos and Argyropoulos converted further six-on-fives to take a 4-10 lead at half-time.

However bleak the overall picture looked, Mladost refused to give in and launched a strong comeback. In three minutes, they produced a 3-0 surge with two extras and a counter.

After another killed man-down, they had a possession to come closer, but a steal denied them, and Vamos restored some calm to the FTC side with a powerful shot.

The Hungarians defended well in the next man-down, and Vigvari added an action goal from the wing, making it 7-12 with 3:06 to go.

Mladost kept pushing, as Marko Radulovic netted from a six-on-five, then Mauro Cubranic made a key stop in a man-down, and Marko Radulovic struck again from 6m for 9-12.

Fradi struggled for a spell, missing another six-on-five (after converting their first five, they missed the next five), but retained possession and Szilard Jansik scored a crucial goal.

Josip Vrlic answered from close range, yet Mladost still trailed 10-13 with eight minutes remaining.

The Croats had a promising third period with six goals, but in the fourth Fradi struck first, earning a penalty on a counter that Argyropoulos converted just 31 seconds into the period.

Seventy seconds later, the Greek added another on the break, restoring a five-goal cushion and halting Mladost’s momentum.

It soon became clear the hosts’ big effort in the third quarter had taken its toll, compounded by Fradi’s early burst in the fourth.

Mladost were no longer as sharp, while Vogel, who had dipped slightly in the third, raised his level again with several key saves.

In fact, Fradi shut out Mladost for the entire period and, although they did not add to their tally in the final six minutes – hitting the post several times – they can be more than satisfied with a five-goal away win.

While Mladost’s unbeaten home run in the Champions League came to an abrupt end, Fradi remain unbeaten away from home this season across all competitions, and six points from back-to-back away matches have put them firmly back on track on the road to Malta.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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