Champions League Men: CNAB sink Olympiacos to move six points clear of chasing pack

Barceloneta claimed a sound home win against arch-rivals Olympiacos on Day 3 of the Champions League Quarterfinal Stage. Scoring 20 against the Greek giants is a tremendous feat, and it came with an added bonus – with Brescia stunning Novi Beograd in the other game, the Spaniards are already six points clear after three rounds and firmly on their way to Malta once more.

2025/26 Champions League Men
Quarterfinals Stage, Day 3

Group A
(Tuesday 31 March)

Zodiac CNAB (ESP) 20-13 Olympiacos SFP (GRE)
AN Brescia (ITA) 12-11 VK Novi Beograd Tehnomanija (SRB)

Standings: 1. CNAB 9pts, 2. NBG 3pts, 2. Olympiacos 3pts, 2. Brescia 3pts

Zodiac CNAB (ESP) 20-13 Olympiacos SFP (GRE) (4-4, 6-4, 5-3, 5-2)

Barceloneta dismantled Olympiacos with a tremendous attacking display, as their Hungarian sniper Vince Vigvari led the charge with seven goals and the Spaniards managed to hit 20 in the game – something they do with ease against lower-ranked rivals, but not against such elite opponents.

That total was also extra special considering the Greeks’ coach Elvis Fatovic was probably expecting a different outcome upon returning to Barceloneta, where he had spent the previous four years.

Neither side held back, producing a brilliant opening period with four goals apiece, many of them true masterpieces. Barceloneta took the lead four times, but Olympiacos always found the equaliser.

Vince Vigvari lit the flame by netting the first two for the Spaniards, while Dimitrios Nikolaidis and Evangelos Pouros replied, both from action. Roger Tahull came up with a trademark centre-shot, but Dimitrios Dimou also fired one in from the perimeter. Tahull added another from the centre before the Greeks scored their first six-on-five through Gergo Zalanki.

Almost two minutes into the second period, a chain of crucial events unfolded. The Greeks earned a penalty, but Unai Aguirre saved Zalanki’s shot.

In the very next possession, CNAB also drew a penalty and Bernat Sanahuja converted. The Spaniards then killed a man-down, Vigvari struck from the outside, and within 16 seconds Marc Valls scored on a counter.

In just 90 seconds, when Olympiacos might have taken the lead for the first time at 4-5, they instead found themselves trailing 7-4.

Elvis Fatovic called a time-out, fully aware of what CNAB could do in such moments. Although Dimou pulled one back immediately, Unai Biel converted a six-on-five and Alberto Munarriz buried a penalty for 9-5.

The Greeks were not done. Konstantinos Kakaris earned another penalty, Alexandros Papanastasiou converted, and 46 seconds later Ioannis Fountoulis sent a pinpoint shot into the net to halve the deficit.

After his earlier long-range strikes, Vigvari added a fine drive from close range, but Kakaris drew yet another penalty and Fountoulis scored again to set the 10-8 half-time score.

CNAB came back strongly after the restart, as Sanahuja and Vigvari converted back-to-back six-on-fives to restore the four-goal gap.

Although Olympiacos responded, Alberto Munarriz struck from distance. Dimou managed to beat Aguirre again, but the Spanish goalkeeper produced a tremendous save on Daniel Angyal’s close-range effort – a crucial moment. Instead of cutting the deficit to two, Vigvari’s wrist-shot on a six-on-five made it 14-10.

Dimou continued to deliver for the Greeks, scoring another extra 28 seconds from time, but Gergo Burian answered with a long-range missile to secure a commanding 15-11 lead for CNAB heading into the final quarter.

The home side needed just 20 seconds to extend the gap to five for the first time, as Sanahuja converted another penalty. Dimou responded with his fifth, but CNAB again had Vigvari, who took his tally to seven with an outstanding 6m blast for 17-12.

The next three minutes highlighted Olympiacos’ struggles, as they wasted two more six-on-fives, before Alejandro Bustos added another from action with 3:00 remaining.

The contest had already been decided by then, and the closing minutes only confirmed the collapse of the Greek defence, with Munarriz scoring twice in the final minute to bring CNAB to 20 goals – a memorable night for the Spaniards, and one for Olympiacos to forget quickly.

AN Brescia (ITA) 12-11 VK Novi Beograd Tehnomanija (SRB) (3-1, 3-3, 4-4, 2-3)

Brescia are alive and well after downing Novi Beograd with a series of fine plays, and now sit on three points alongside the Serbs and Olympiacos, keeping all their chances intact for a place in the Final Four.

The opening six minutes were marked by intense battling, plenty of swimming and physical contact, along with three missed six-on-fives – two by NBG – before Tommaso Gianazza broke the deadlock with a fine action goal.

Just 44 seconds later, Alessandro Balzarini added another from a counter, and from the next possession Jacopo Alesiani converted a six-on-five for 3-0.

Before falling further behind, the Serbs earned a penalty and Vasilije Martinovic put them on the scoreboard 28 seconds before the first break.

Martinovic added a six-on-five early in the second period, but Vincenzo Dolce responded in kind at the other end.

Brescia then killed two man-downs and Filippo Ferrero struck, not from a classic counter but with a brilliant body-to-body finish from the wing that beat Milan Glusac.

Martinovic continued to lead Novi, scoring again from the perimeter, and soon Stefan Pjesivac joined him with a close-range finish on a six-on-five.

After the Serbs denied Brescia’s six-on-five, they had a chance to level, but Tommaso Baggi Necchi produced an excellent save on Milos Cuk. Instead, Stefano Guerrero converted a man-up for the Italians, who led 6-4 at half-time.

The importance of that save, which denied NBG the chance to make it 5-5, became clear early in the third.

Vincenzo Dolce struck from a very sharp angle on a six-on-five, then Ferrero converted a penalty to put Brescia 8-4 ahead in just over a minute.

Pjesivac pulled one back with a well-worked man-up, but Mario del Basso replied from centre and Alesiani added another from a counter 25 seconds later, leaving the Belgrade side in deep trouble at 10-5.

Martinovic answered with a long-range effort, and although Cuk missed another six-on-five, Pjesivac converted the next to reduce the gap to 10-7.

Brescia began to lose momentum, their offence less sharp and their defence under increasing pressure. With 50 seconds remaining in the period, Miroslav Perkovic converted from the post on a six-on-five for 10-8, while the Italians missed their only six-on-five of the quarter shortly before the buzzer.

Those final minutes helped the hosts regain composure, and Guerrato opened the fourth with a fine centre shot, while Cuk hit the post on a six-on-five. With 5:54 remaining, Ferrero converted a six-on-five for 12-8, a significant lead, especially after another missed man-up by Cuk.

Luka Gladovic then converted the next opportunity, while Brescia failed to register a shot on their six-on-five and Novi earned a penalty at the other end, converting to close within two at 12-10 with 4:20 to play.

Brescia’s level continued to dip, Ferrero missed another six-on-five, and after a series of missed chances with the extra player, Cuk struck from action to make it 12-11 with 3:15 remaining.

The intensity only grew in the closing stages, with both teams exhausting their final reserves. A double exclusion followed by a single one gave Novi a promising five-on-four opportunity, but Tommaso Baggi Necchi delivered a crucial save.

The Serbs had another possession but failed to create danger, while Brescia focused on seeing out the clock.

Novi still had a final chance 14 seconds from time, but Filip Jankovic’s turn-and-move was judged too aggressive, resulting in an exclusion foul and a red card, sealing Brescia’s first win at this stage.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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