Champions League, Prelims, Day 5 – Preview
A little more than a week after the magnificent European Championships in Belgrade the heroes of the continental showcase are back, this time playing the for respective clubs in the Champions League. Two outstanding clashes are in sight: Primorje meets Barceloneta in Group A while the game between Recco and Szolnok will feature 13 medallists from Belgrade.
Group A
18.00 Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Jadran Carine Herceg Novi (MNE)
Olympiacos is still unbeaten – while Jadran has yet to earn its first win. The Greeks played once at home so far, beat Primorje with ease, 7-4 and had three draws in the away games. To occupy a good place in this extremely balanced group at the half-way mark, a win for Olympiacos is a must in this game.
19.00 ZF Eger (HUN) v Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)
After losing the opening match in Barcelona, Spandau came up with a series of convincing performances and tied with Olympiacos and Primorje at home and in Herceg Novi as well. This result sheet makes the Germans an unexpectedly strong contender in the group, so Eger – lining up fresh Serbian European champions and Hungarian bronze medallists from Belgrade – cannot take anything granted. Apart from their place in the Final Six as the host of the event, still, the hosts want to earn a spot by finishing in the top three, what’s more, the top rank is still a target for them.
Norbert Dabrowski, head coach of ZF Eger “Spandau has only one defeat, they are collecting points, they are the surprise team in our group. It will be a difficult match.” Peter Biros, captain of ZF Eger “We respect the German water polo and the team of Spandau. However, we know that we are the better side. Our team is in good form after the European Championship, we want to win.”
Krisztian Bedo, player of ZF-Eger “Spandau demonstrated his strength, still, we have big goals, so we have to win.”
20.00 Primorje Erste Banka Rijeka (CRO) v CN Barceloneta (ESP)
The big game of Group A: the two top ranked sides clash at the Adriatic Sea. Barceloneta played only once away from, that time they lost to Eger – while Primore had only one game at home where beat the Hungarians. In this group any point earned has really big value so this contest promises a tremendous battle.
Classification
1. Barceloneta 7, 2. Primorje 7, 3. Olympiacos 6, 4. Eger 5, 5. Spandau 3, 6. Jadran 2
Group B
18.00 Jug Croatia Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO) v Partizan Raiffeisen Belgrade (SRB)
Though a Croatian-Serbian clash always means something special, this one might not belong to the great classics as Jug has a much stronger team than the young Serbian side. Still, Partizan – even losing the best players in succession as they all opt for lucrative foreign contracts (Dusan Mandic was the last one leaving) did its best to remain close to the top three sides as long as possible. Last season they also met in the prelims, Jug won both matches.
Vjekoslav Kobescak, head coach of Jug “We didn’t have all players in the trainings in the last two months and also we have some problems with injuries so the game tomorrow is not going to be so easy. Partizan has a young team and they play good water polo with a great coach on the bench. However, I think that anything but our victory would be a surprise.”
Marko Bijac, captain of Jug “We know each other very well because we played a lot in the last couple of years. We are playing at home in this match and I hope that we will justify the role of favourite.”
20.00 A Hid-OSC Budapest (HUN) v Galatasaray Istanbul (TUR)
After four straight losses both sides go for its first win. Playing at home OSC might have a better chance and during the January break the injured players recovered so the Hungarian runner-up is very much looking for collecting the three points.
20.30 Pro Recco (ITA) v Szolnoki Dozsa-Kozgep (HUN)
The match of the day will see 13 medallists from Belgrade: four Serbian champions playing for Recco (Mandic, Prlainovic, D. Pijetlovic, Filipovic), three in Szolnok (Gocic, Aleksic, S. Mitrovic), one Montenegrin runner-up among the hosts (Ivovic) and five bronze medal winning Hungarians in the visitors’ line-up (Nagy, Vamos, Kis and the Varga brothers). This is going to be Recco’s fourth home game, the ‘closest’ was their last one against Jug (14-6), they scored 15 in their previous two matches apiece. Szolnok had tight matches against fellow OSC (won by one) and Jug (lost by one) and scored easy wins in Belgrade and in Istanbul.
Sándor Cseh, head coach of Szolnok We meet Recco after a long break in the Hungarian league and the Champions League. We are in good physical shape, we need extra personal performances to have a good game. Recco is a great team, we also have a strong side and are going to do our best in this encounter.
Norbert Madaras, player of Szolnok This will be a special encounter for me since Recco is my second home. I spent an unforgettable 10 years at the Italian Club. Now I have to do everything for the win of Szolnok. It will be a big encounter and I am expecting great water polo at both games, here and later at home.
Classification
1. Recco 12, 2. Jug 9, 3. Szolnok 9, 4. Partizan 6, 5. OSC 0, 6. Galatasaray 0
Euro Cup, Semi-finals, 1st leg
In the Euro Cup the first leg of the semis is due this Wednesday. Brescia, the second best Italian side behind Pro Recco is the favourite, now meets Hungary’s Szeged. In the other clash the chances seem equal between Mornar and Sintez.
19.30: Mornar Brodospas Split (CRO) v Sintez Kazan (RUS)
20.00: AN Brescia (ITA) v Diapolo-Szeged (HUN)
