Brescia and Barceloneta had a great evening in the fifth week of the 2026 Champions League. Today, both teams secured away victories, earning spots in the Quarter Final Round.
Brescia pulled off a significant upset by defeating Ferencvaros in Budapest after a penalty shootout, which ended 16:13 (12:12). Remarkably, Brescia had already mathematically qualified for the Top 8 Round even before the match in Budapest. Earlier in Group C, Primorac defeated Oradea 15:11, confirming Brescia’s spot in the Quarter Finals. While the Italian team achieved an impressive feat, it won’t help Brescia move from its 2nd place in the group. Ferencvaros will probably remain at the top of the standings despite the surprising loss, because it will face Primorac in Round 6..
Barceloneta trailed by three goals for most of the match against Marseille in France. However, the Spaniards produced a late 4:0 surge and recorded a 12:11 victory. Barceloneta qualified for the Quarter Final Stage and practically secured 1st place in Group D.
Novi Beograd beat Jadran Split 15:11 in Group B. The match remained open until the fourth quarter, when Novi Beograd pulled away (6:1). This victory is an encouragement for the Serbian team ahead of the crucial group match against Jadran Herceg Novi in Trebinje. The winner of that game will advance from this group to the next stage, along with Pro Recco.
2025/26 Champions League, Group Stage, Round 5
GROUP B
Novi Beograd – Jadran 15:10 (2:4, 3:3, 4:2, 6:1)
Novi Beograd: Cuk 4, Perkovic 4, Martinovic 3, Trtovic 2, Dimitrijevic 1, Lukic 1.
Jadran Split: Berehulak 4, Marinic Kragic 2, Butic 2, Fatovic 1, Curkovic 1.
However, the Serbian club didn’t make a big step towards the Quarter Final Round, as it still has to beat Jadran Herceg Novi in February. As for the Split-based team, it lost its last chance to qualify for the next stage.
Novi Beograd had a 2:1 lead in the middle of the first period. However, Jadran, playing without its first goalkeeper Marko Bijac (with Celar as the only goalie on the roster), took control of the game. The Croats went on a 4:0 scoring run, primarily benefiting from excellent man-up shot conversions, which gave them a 5:2 lead early in the second quarter. Novi Beograd managed to close the gap, making the score 3:5 and later 4:6.Thirty seconds before the end of the quarter, Jadran gained a three-goal lead for the third time, when Butic converted a penalty shot for 7:4. But, Milos Cuk replied with a power-play goal.
Miroslav Perkovic Photo by VK Novi Beograd
Novi Beograd chased Jadran, but the visitors kept a 2-goal lead until the 21st minute, when Jerko Marinic Kragic scored from a 6 on 5 for 9:7. After that, Novi Beograd went on a 4:0 run, which was crucial for the outcome. Milos Cuk leveled at 9:9. In the rest of the third quarter, Novi Beograd didn’t score, but managed to kill two Jadran’s man-downs and the fourth quarter was a new beginning. Nobody had an advantage before the final eight minutes.
The Serbs kept momentum and converted two man-ups in the first two minutes of the final period to go to 11:9. Berehulak ended that series, but not for long. Novi Beograd, led by Miroslav Perkovic, who scored four goals and forced eight exclusions, and Milos Cuk dominated in the last several minutes.
Standings: 1. Pro Recco 12 (4 games), 2. Jadran HN 6 (2), 3. Novi Beograd 6, 4. Jadran S 3.
GROUP C
Ferencvaros – Brescia 13:16 (1:0, 5:8, 3:2, 3:2, PSO 1:4)
Ferencvaros: Manhercz 3, Di Somma 3, Argyropoulos 2, Vamos 2, Varga 1,Mandic 1, Jansik 1.
Brescia: Dolce 4, Popadic 3, Vskovic 3, Del basso 2, Ferrero 1, Gianazza 1, Giri 1, Balzarini 1.
The match in Budapest started two hours after the game in Kotor, so Brescia water polo jumped into the pool knowing they definitely qualified for the Quarter Final Stage. Encouraged by that fact, the Italians played a good match, while Ferencvaros suffered its first Champions League defeat since April 1, when Barceloneta beat the title-holders in a penalty shootout, as Brescia did this evening.
Dolce (BRE) and Vigvari (FTC) Photo by Laszlo Balogh
Ferencvaros’ defense has been vulnerable in nearly all Champions League matches this season. The opening quarter suggested that the reigning champions had improved this aspect of their play, but Brescia’s defense was strong as well. The only one who scored in the first period was Szilard Jansik in the 6th minute. After a defensive first quarter, nobody could expect 13 goals in the following eight minutes. Viskovic scored the first goal for Brescia in the 9th minute, and a scoring festival started. Brescia took the lead for the first time just 40 seconds before halftime. Popadic made it 7:6. Ferencvaros didn’t find the net in the following possession, but Dolce doubled Brescia’s advantage in the very last second of the first half.
Brescia went to 9:6 in the 19th minute, and Ferencvaros managed to come close, trailing 9:10 after the third period. The hosts leveled the score twice in the fourth quarter at 11:11 and 12:12. Manhercz’s equalizer in the 31st minute was the last goal in regular time, and the match was prolonged to a penalty shootout. Mandic was the only one who scored for Ferencvaros in a shootout, and two points went to Brescia.
Primorac: Mrsic 4, S. Cetkovic 3, Vuckovic 3, Brguljan 1, Murisic 1, Vidovic 1, Vico 1, Stanojevic 1.
Oradea: Gardasevic 5, Ilisie 1, Vancsik 2, Velkic 2, Czenk 1
Primorac earned its first Champions League points this season, killing Oradea’s last, very slim chances of advancing to the Top 8 round. The Kotor-based team and Oradea are tied in points, but Primorac didn’t overcome a 7-goal deficit from a 7:14 loss in Oradea, and it will probably stay at the bottom of the table.
Ilsie (ORA) and Vidovic (PRI) Photo by Filip Roganovic
Primorac created more scoring chances and played very actively in attack, and demonstrated strong pressing in defense. It dominated in the opening minutes, despite not having an excellent shot percentage. The home team led 2:0, 4:1 and 6:2 in the first half. But Oradea tightened its defense, allowing it to get back into the match.
Primorac had a 3-goal advantage 30 seconds before the middle break (7:4). Oradea’s Gardasevic closed the first half to make it 5:7. Oradea’s centre-forward opened the third period with two goals, and Oradea caught up with the Montenegrins in the 19th minute – 7:7. However, Primorac retook control in the middle of the third quarter. Mrsic scored for 8:7. Vico made it 9:7 from a rebound, and Vidovic gave the Montenegrins a 10:7 lead less than two minutes before the last break. Oradea couldn’t produce another comeback.
Standings: 1. Ferencvaros 13, 2. Brescia 11, 3. Oradea 3, 4. Primorac 3.
GROUP D
Marseille – Barceloneta 11:12 (4:1, 4:4, 2:3, 1:4)
Marseille:Bouet 4, Vernoux 2, Kalogeropoulos 2, Larumbe 1, Drasovic 1, Marion Vernoux 1.
Barceloneta: Echenique 3, Vigvari 3, Sanahuja 2, Biel 2, Valls 1, Burian 1.
Barceloneta earned three points in Marseille, avenging a previous defeat by the same score against the French champion. For most of the match, Marseille set the pace and held a 3-goal lead. However, Barceloneta stepped up when it mattered most, securing the victory and advancing to the Top 8 round with a 4:0 run in the fourth quarter.
Barceloneta took three points in Marseille and avenged a defeat with the same score against the French champion in France. Marseille dictated the pace for most of the match, and had a 3-goal lead early in the fourth period. Barceloneta did its best when it mattered the most and secured the win and the Top 8 round with a 4:0 series in the fourth quarter.
Marseille controlled Barceloneta in the first quarter. The Spaniards’ attacks were harmless for a long time. Thomas Vernoux scored the first two goals in the game, Bouet added one, and the hosts had a 3:0 lead in the 6th minute. Barceloneta got on the scoreboard only 01:38 minutes before the first break, when leftie Gonzalo Echenique found the net. However, just a minute later, Bouet replied – 4:1.
Barceloneta improved its offensive play in the second quarter. It was enough to narrow the gap to two goals thrice (2:4, 3:5, 4:6). But Marseille had control, and earned a 4-goal lead in the 16th minute – 8:4. Sanahuja netted for 5:8 with 27 seconds before the middle break.
Unai Aguirre Photo by Laszlo Balogh
There was a long break between the 2nd and 3rd periods due to a technical problem at the pool in Marseille. That pause obviously suited Barceloneta, which started coming back in the second half. Goalkeeper Unai Aguirre was one of the heroes of the win, he posted one save after another; the attack began working better. In the 20th minute, Valls closed the gap to one goal (8:9). In the following minutes, both defenses were up to the task, and the next goal came only three seconds before the last break, when former Barceloneta player, Marc Larumbe, gave Marseille a 10:8 lead.
Early in the fourth period, Marseille regained a 3-goal lead (11:8). However, Barceloneta scored four unanswered goals within two and a half minutes, taking their first lead of the match. Burian scored to make it 12-11 with just 2 minutes and 11 seconds remaining on the clock. This turned out to be the final score. Marseille failed to convert a penalty with 15 seconds left, missing its last opportunity to equalize. After suffering their third consecutive loss, Marseille faces significant challenges heading into its final Group stage match against Sabadell in Spain.
Standings: 1. Barceloneta 12, 2. Marseille 6, 3. Hannover 6 (2 games), 4. Sabadell 3 (2).
