Dramatic twists and turns on final day of men’s Euro Cup qualifiers

The six remaining tickets for the men’s 2025/26 Euro Cup group stage were confirmed on Sunday after a series of thrilling clashes across the continent. Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker claimed the last spot in the final game of the weekend that saw them on the brink of elimination at the start of the fourth. In the end, three late Szolnok goals proved to be just enough to send them through on goal difference. Joining the Hungarians in the main competition are group winners Spandau 04 Berlin, Pallanuoto Trieste, VK Solaris Sibenik and CN Terrassa, plus fellow best runners-up Vouliagmeni NC and CSA Steaua Bucharest.

2025/26 Euro Cup Men
Qualification Round
Day 3, Sunday 5th October

Group A
Athens (GRE)

Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 11-16 A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)
GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 23-15 ZV De Zaan (NED)

Standings: 1. Spandau 04 Berlin 6pts, 2. GS Apollon Smyrnis 6pts, 3. A-Polo Sport Management 5pts, 4. ZV De Zaan 1pt

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

Vouliagmeni NC (GRE) 17-17 (6-5P) Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)
Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) 10-23 BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)

Standings: 1. Pallanuoto Trieste 7pts, 2. Vouliagmeni NC 6pts, 3. BVK Crvena Zvezda 5pts, 4. Montpellier Water Polo 0pts

Group C
Sibenik (CRO)

WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 11-15 CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU)
VK Solaris Sibenik (CRO) 13-12 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)

Standings: 1. VK Solaris Sibenik 9pts, 2. CSA Steaua Bucharest 6pts, 3. CS Rapid Bucuresti 3pts, 4. WPC Dinamo Tbilisi 0pts

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP) 13-4 Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN)
Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA) 13-8 OSC Potsdam (GER)

Standings: 1. CN Terrassa 9pts, 2. Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker 6pts, 3. Pays d’Aix Natation 3pts, 4. OSC Potsdam 0pts

Group A
Athens (GRE)

Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 11-16 A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)
GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 23-15 ZV De Zaan (NED)

Starting the day on three points and with a minus two goal difference, GS Apollon Smyrnis entered their game with ZV De Zaan knowing they needed a huge win if they were to stand a chance of progressing as one of the top three runners-up.

A win was on the cards, but ZV De Zaan weren’t prepared to just roll over and they put up plenty of resistance, which frustrated the Apollon players and their passionate fans throughout.

At half-time, the Greeks were on the right track, leading by six (13-7), but they weren’t able to build on that in the third and the gap remained the same at the last break (17-11).

The Dutch continued to match the hosts, goal for goal, at the start of the fourth, and although Apollon did extend their advantage to eight by the end, that only took their goal difference to +6, which ultimately wasn’t enough to see them progress.

Hannes Daube and Nikola Bogdanovic led the attack superbly for the Greeks against De Zaan, with five goals each, and with that kind of firepower in their armoury, Apollon will surely now be one of the favourites to lift the inaugural Conference Cup trophy in May.

With qualification already secured, Spandau 04 Berlin had little to play for earlier in their clash with A-Polo Sport Management. That fact was evident in the first half, as the Georgians dominated the early exchanges to open up a 3-7 lead by half-time.

The Germans cut the deficit to three by the last break (8-11), but their levels dropped again in the fourth, which allowed their opponents to run out as worthy winners (11-16).

Sharpshooter Dmitri Alekseev put in another fine performance for A-Polo Sport Management, top scoring with five goals, to add to the five he scored against Apollon on day two, and four versus De Zaan on day one.

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

Vouliagmeni NC (GRE) 17-17 (6-5P) Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)
Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) 10-23 BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)

Vouliagmeni NC and Pallanuoto Trieste met early on Sunday morning with plenty at stake and ultimately the result was enough to send both teams through to the main competition.

The Italians looked to be heading towards all three points midway through the fourth, when Edoardo Manzi put his side 15-17 up, but a goal from Nikolaos Kastrinakis and a late Kas Te Riele strike with 29 seconds remaining sent the game to a shootout.

After a perfect five rounds of penalties, Trieste’s Vuk Draskovic missed in the sixth, and Dimitrios Chatzis converted to earn his side what proved to be a crucial two points.

The Greeks were facing elimination from European competition, as there was no Conference Cup safety net in place for them after their participation in the Champions League qualifiers last month, so they had to get something from the game.

A high-scoring contest was also good for Vouliagmeni, as it boosted their overall goals tally (to 51), and as they started the final day with a goal difference of +14, it meant their place in the top three best runners-up was pretty much secure, barring some sort of miracle.

Later, BVK Crvena Zvezda swept Montpellier Water Polo aside to finish third in Group B. It took the French team almost 10 minutes to get on the scoresheet, and by that time, the Serbians were 0-6 up and cruising.

They continued to dominate and were 3-9 ahead at half-time, and out of sight (5-14) by the end of the third. Nine Crvena Zvezda goals in the fourth piled more misery on the hosts, but both sides will now turn their focus to the Conference Cup.

Group C
Sibenik (CRO)

WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 11-15 CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU)
VK Solaris Sibenik (CRO) 13-12 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)

VK Solaris Sibenik earned a narrow victory against CSA Steaua Bucharest to top Group C, and losing by a single goal was also enough for the Romanians to comfortably advance as one of the best three runners-up.

The Croats took the lead (6-5) for the third time in the game 5:23 into the second quarter, and they managed to stay in front until the end, but Steaua put up a real fight and remained close throughout.

Solaris were made to work incredibly hard for all the points, and winning the middle two periods 9-6 helped get them over the line.

Earlier, in the battle at the bottom, CS Rapid Bucuresti downed WPC Dinamo Tbilisi thanks to a late surge that sent the Georgians home with nothing.

Rapid started the game on the front foot, edging ahead 2-4, but Dinamo never let them pull away and four unanswered goals – two each from Dragan Draskovic and Nikola Bucan – at the end of the third nudged them in front (10-9).

Their advantage only lasted for 62 seconds, though, and after that they collapsed, conceding six without reply to hand the Romanians the victory. Rapid’s captain, Croatian Antun Goreta, was instrumental in the win, top scoring with five.

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP) 13-4 Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN)
Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA) 13-8 OSC Potsdam (GER)

The final game of the weekend between CN Terrassa and Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker provided plenty of drama, and a contest the Apollon players and fans were no doubt watching very carefully in Athens, especially when the Hungarians found themselves trailing 11-1 at the start of the fourth quarter.

It was an astonishing scoreline, as at that moment, Szolnok were on the brink of elimination, as their goal difference had been reduced from +17 at the start of the day to +7, which was just one better than Apollon’s final total.

Terrassa needed to win by 11 or more to relegate their rivals to the Conference Cup, and with Szolnok struggling with their shooting and passing throughout, it was looking a real possibility.

Late goals from Maxim Cseh, Krisztian Bedo and Lorand Csongor Zerinvary ultimately spared Szolnok from a real embarrassment, but they couldn’t save them from a heavy final-day defeat.

Terrassa’s Ignasi Bargallo starred for Terrassa again, firing in five goals, which helped steer the Spaniards to the top of the group and a third successive victory.

Earlier, Pays d’Aix Natation’s European campaign finished on a high with a 13-8 triumph against OSC Potsdam.

The victory saw them finish third in Group D, but it’s the young Germans who will be heading to the Conference Cup, as the French side are ineligible to compete in that tournament due to their Champions League appearance last month.

After an even first half (4-3), Pays d’Aix Natation took control of the game in the third, opening up a five-goal advantage (10-5), as Potsdam were condemned to their third successive defeat in Terrassa.

With the Qualification Round complete, all 16 teams set to contest the men’s 2025/26 Euro Cup have now been confirmed. The full line-up of the Group Stage is listed below.

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

Group A
VK Jug AO (CRO), Duisburg (GER), VK Solaris Sibenik (CRO), CN Terrassa (ESP)

Group B
CN Barcelona (ESP), CS Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU), Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA), Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN)

Group C
BVSC Manna ABC (HUN), Panathinaikos AC (GRE), PVK Buducnost Podgorica (MNE), Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Group D
RN Savona (ITA), VK Sabac Elixir (SRB), Spandau 04 Berlin (GER), CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)

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For the full 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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