Champions League Men: Quarter Final Stage draw sets up epic FTC and Recco clashes

After their thrilling Super Cup final in October, the two giants, FTC-Telekom and Pro Recco, are set to face off again in the Quarter Final Stage of the Champions League. Monday’s draw also shaped a group of death with Olympiacos, Barceloneta, Novi Beograd and Brescia, as only the top two teams can make the Final Four.

2025/26 Champions League Men
Quarter Final Stage Draw

Group A

Olympiacos SPF (GRE), Zodiac CNAB (ESP), Novi Beograd Tehnomanija (SRB), AN Brescia (ITA)

Group B

FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN), Pro Recco (ITA), HAVK Mladost (CRO), Waspo 98 Hannover (GER)

It’s going to be six exciting evenings in Group A, where the draw has brought together four teams which have been regular participants in top matches in recent years – each of them have been part of the semis on one or more occasions in the last five editions: Olympiacos once, Brescia twice, CNAB three times, while NBG made the semis in the last four editions, including three appearances in the final.

Though Olympiacos and CNAB may be considered the favourites, the Serbs have still shown their strength and reached this stage despite fielding fewer stars compared to previous years (but they have Milan Glusac in their goal), while Brescia achieved what no team had been able to do in the last three years: beat FTC in Budapest.

Only two teams have lifted the trophy in the last six editions, claiming three wins apiece. One is FTC Telekom, who triumphed on the last two occasions after their first one in 2019, while Pro Recco made a three-peat in 2021-23 – and now the two giants will have two more clashes in Group B.

They already offered a thriller in October when Fradi edged out the Italians 15-14 in the Super Cup final; it’s just going to be even more prime-time action from the two super favourites.

Still, not looking further than the two giants in this group might be considered a grave mistake. Mladost, the seven-time winners chasing their old glory, are a real threat in their home pool, where Olympiacos and Radnicki fell in the group stage, and this is an alarming sign for the big boys too.

Waspo also earned their place here with some unexpected home wins; after all, the Germans stand behind last year’s F4 participants Marseille’s shocking exit, so visits to Hannover can have devastating effects on those who think it’s just going to be a walk in the park there.

The format didn’t change: the top two from both groups shall qualify for the Final Four, to be held in Malta on 11-13 June.

The first round of the QF Stage is scheduled for 3-4 March.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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