Champions League water polo action ready to return

The new water polo season is set to begin on Friday, as the Champions League Men’s Preliminary Round kicks off across Europe. In the reshaped competition format, the 10 teams competing will play for the six remaining Group Stage spots at three venues across the weekend (19-21 September).

Group A, Belgrade

• VK Novi Beograd (SRB)
• VPK Primorac Kotor (MNE)
• CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
• Pays D’Aix Natation (FRA)

There is no doubt last season’s runners-up, VK Novi Beograd, are the outstanding favourites in this quartet. The Serbs, despite seeing more changes in their line-up (a batch of key players moved to arch-rivals Radnicki in the summer), still have the strength and depth to play in the Group Stage.

Montenegro’s VPK Primorac Kotor look set to be their main rivals in the race for the first place. With the top two teams advancing, the result between them might not be that crucial, though both sides will want to make an early statement this weekend.

CSA Steaua Bucharest and Pays D’Aix Natation will also be confident of challenging the two favourites, but they will need a perfect day if they are to cause an upset.

Group B, Sabadell

• KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP)
• Vasas Plaket (HUN)
• Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)

This group is going to be tough, as one of the three competing sides – all with plenty of Champions League experience – will fall at the end.

Back in the 1980s, the battles between Hungary’s Vasas Plaket and Germany’s Spandau 04 Berlin were the pinnacle of the competition.

The two sides also had several showdowns with the trophy at stake. This time, the losers of the opening day’s duel might have to face elimination, as hosts KEIO CN Sabadell appear the strongest.

Still, it’s only two matches in total each – and the outcomes are unpredictable – so we can expect lots of drama.

Group C, Zagreb

• HAVK Mladost Zagreb (CRO)
• AN Brescia (ITA)
• Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Like Group B, this three-horse race promises nothing but sheer excitements. Hosts HAVK Mladost Zagreb are ready to chase the old glory, especially with more seasoned veterans from Croatia’s Olympic silver medal-winning side added to their line-up.

However, they will face some fierce opposition from Italy’s AN Brescia and Greece’s Vouliagmeni NC. Both sides went through some changes recently, relying more on home players – many of them young and hungry – rather than foreign aces, and that might just give them more determination to clinch one of the two qualifying spots.

For the full fixtures/schedule/tables, click here
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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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