After yesterday’s draw for the main round of the Champions League, LEN confirmed the schedule for the new season.
As usual, the schedule is like a mirror. After the first half of the league, the order of the rounds is reversed. The teams that face of in the 5th round will meet again on Day 6. The pairings of Day 4 and Day 7 are the same, etc.
In the normal seasons, the interspace between the first and the second half of the league is at least 10 days. But, this season the league won’t be played in the usual home-and-away format because of the pandemic. The group stage will be held in three phases.
The middle four rounds (4th-7th) will be played in Stage 2 (second “bubble” tournaments). That means that the same opponents will meet for two days in a row (5th and 6th round).
There will be several very exciting games in Stage 2. For example, Pro Recco and Jug will meet on Day 5 of Group A, and they will play against each other again on the next competition day. The highlight of Day 4 in Group B is an encounter between Ferencvaros and Barcelona, and they will replay their clash a few days later.
The planned dates for the four rounds of the 2nd stage are March 1-5. So, there is room for a day off between the 5th and 6th rounds, which are closest to the “mirror”.
The first stage will be played in Ostia and Budapest. LEN will determine the venues of stages 2 and 3 later, following the pandemic situation across Europe.
Players can only stay in their hotels and in the pool during these “bubble events”. They will be separated from the outside world . Of course, only players with negative COVID-19 test will be allowed to be with their teams.
2020/21 Champions League – schedule
A group
Olympiacos (Greece)
Pro Recco (Italy)
Jug Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Spandau 04 Berlin (Germany)
Marseille (France)
Qualifier A
Round 1, December 14 – 17, 2020 (Ostia, Italy)
Day 1: Spandau – Jug, Pro Recco – Marseille, Olympiacos – Qualifier A.
Day 2: Jug – Marseille, Qualifier A – Pro Recco, Spandau 04 – Olympiacos.
Day 3: Marseille – Qualifier A, Olympiacos – Jug, Pro Recco – Spandau 04.
Round 2, March, 1 – 5, 2021 (host to be determined)
Day 4: Jug – Qualifier A, Spandau 04 – Marseille, Olympiacos – Pro Recco.
Day 5: Pro Recco – Jug, Marseille – Olympiacos, Spandau 04 – Qualifier A.
Day 6: Jug – Pro Recco, Olympiacos – Marseille, Qualifier A – Spandau 04
Day 7: Qualifier A – Jug, Marseille – Spandau 04, Pro Recco – Olympiacos.
Round 3, April 19 – 22, 2021 (host TBD)
Day 8: Qualifier A – Marseille, Jug – Olympiacos, Spandau 04 – Pro Recco.
Day 9: Marseille – Jug, Pro Recco – Qualifier A, Olympiacos – Spandau 04.
Day 10: Jug – Spandau 04, Marseille – Pro Recco, Qualifier A – Olympiacos.
Group B
Ferencvaros Budapest (Hungary)
Barceloneta (Spain)
Waspo Hannover (Germany)
Jadran Herceg Novi (Montenegro)
Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia)
Qualifier B
Round 1, December 15 – 18, 2020 (Budapest, Hungary)
Day 1: Jadran – Ferencvaros, Dinamo T– Qualifier B, Hannover – Barceloneta.
Day 2: Ferencvaros – Qualifier B, Barceloneta – Dinamo T, Jadran HN – Hannover.
Day 3: Qualifier B – Barceloneta, Hannover – Ferencvaros, Dinamo T – Jadran.
Round 2, March 1 – 5, 2021 (host TBD)
Day 4: Ferencvaros – Barceloneta, Jadran HN – Qualifier B, Hannover – Dinamo T.
Day 5: Dinamo T – Ferencvaros, Qualifier B – Hannover, Jadran HN – Barceloneta.
Day 6: Ferencvaros – Dinamo T, Hannover – Qualifier B, Barceloneta – Jadran HN
Day 7: Barceloneta – Ferencvaros, Qualifier B – Jadran HN, Dinamo T – Hannover
Round 3, April 20 – 23, 2021 (host TBD)
Day 8: Barceloneta – Qualifier B, Ferencvaros – Hannover, Jadran HN – Dinamo T.
Day 9: Qualifier B – Ferencvaros, Dinamo T – Barceloneta, Hannover – Jadran HN
Day 10: Ferencvaros – Jadran HN, Qualifier B – Dinamo T, Barceloneta – Hannover
Final Eight
June 3 – 5, 2021 (Hannover)
