2024–25 LEN Champions League
| 2024–25 | |
.jpg) The National Pool Complex in Valletta will host the final four. | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Water polo |
| Dates | Qualification round: 12–15 September 2024 Main Round: 8 October – 4 December 2024 Quarter-finals round: 4 February – 14 May 2025 Final four: 30 May 2025–1 June 2025 |
| Teams | Competition proper: 16 Total: 30 (from 13 countries) |
| Website | Official website |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 108 |
The 2024–25 LEN Champions League is the 62nd edition of the newly renamed European Aquatics's premier competition for men's water polo clubs. FTC-Telekom are the defending champions.
Format
[edit]After one qualification round, sixteen teams will qualify for the group stage. Four groups of four will be played., with the top two in each group will make the quarter-finals round (also a group stage). The team that finish third and fourth will compete in the 2024–25 LEN Euro Cup knockout stage. The remaining eight teams in the quarter-finals round will play a further six matches, with the top two in each group making the final four.[1][2]
Rankings
[edit]The top 11 best ranked countries in the new rankings are allowed to have their national champion go directly into the main round, as long as they meet requirements.[3]
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Teams
[edit]Alongside the 11 domestic champions, the defending champions also get a spot in the main round. In the event that the Champions League defending champions won their national league, the runners-up of the national league will take the vacant spot. In this season, as FTC-Telekom are the reigning champions, Hungary's spot was given to the Hungarian runners-up, A-Híd Vasas Plaket. After the abrupt withdrawal of the Italian champions, Pro Recco, due to financial reasons,[4][5] RN Savona, who placed second, takes their place in the Main round.[6] Also, despite finishing fourth, CC Ortigia took Italy's third spot in the tournament.[7] Croatia also saw a team withdrawing with Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka, who placed third, giving up their spot. The replacement was HAVK Mladost Zagreb, who finished fourth.[8]
 Jadran Split (1st)
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 CN Marseille (1st)
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 Dinamo Tbilisi (1st)
|
 Waspo'98 Hannover (1st)
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 Olympiacos Piraeus (1st)
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 FTC-Telekom CL (1st)
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A-Híd Vasas Plaket (2nd)
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 RN Savona (2nd)
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 Primorac Kotor (1st)
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 Steaua București (1st)
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 Novi Beograd (1st)
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 Zodiac Atlètic-Barceloneta (1st)
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 VK Banja Luka (1st)
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Jug AO Dubrovnik (2nd)
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HAVK Mladost Zagreb (4th)
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Pays d'Aix Natation (3rd)
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| Spandau 04 Berlin (1st)
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NC Vouliagmeni (2nd)
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AC PAOK (3rd)
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BVSC-Zugló (3rd)
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| AN Brescia (3rd)
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CC Ortigia (4th)
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Jadran Herceg Novi (2nd)
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CSM Oradea (2nd)
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| Dinamo București (3rd)
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Radnički Kragujevac (2nd)
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VK Šabac (3rd)
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Astrapool Sabadell (2nd)
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| CN Barcelona (3rd)
|
 Enka Istanbul (1st)
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Round and draw dates
[edit]Schedule
[edit]| Phase | Round | Round date |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification round | 12–15 September 2024 | |
| Main round | Matchday 1 | 8–9 October 2024 |
| Matchday 2 | 15–16 October 2024 | |
| Matchday 3 | 29–30 October 2024 | |
| Matchday 4 | 12–13 November 2024 | |
| Matchday 5 | 19–20 November 2024 | |
| Matchday 6 | 3–4 December 2024 | |
| Quarter-finals round | Matchday 1 | 4–5 February 2025 |
| Matchday 2 | 25–26 February 2025 | |
| Matchday 3 | 18–19 March 2025 | |
| Matchday 4 | 1–2 April 2025 | |
| Matchday 5 | 22–23 April 2025 | |
| Matchday 6 | 13–14 May 2025 | |
| Final Four | Semifinals | 30 May 2025 |
| Final | 1 June 2025 |
Qualification round
[edit]The group winners qualify for the main round, while everyone else drops down to the Euro Cup qualifiers.
Draw
[edit]The draw was on 13 August 2024 in Zagreb, Croatia.[9] H indicates which clubs is hosting a group. Teams in bold advanced to the main round.
Group A
[edit]12–15 September 2024, Dubrovnik, Croatia
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | JAD
|
JUG
|
BAR
|
DIN
|
BAN
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jadran Herceg Novi
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 | +32 | 3 | Main round | — | — | – | – | 35–3 | |
| 2 | Jug AO Dubrovnik (H)
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 3 | – | — | – | 15–8 | – | ||
| 3 | CN Barcelona
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | – | – | ||
| 4 | Dinamo București
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 15 | −7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 5 | VK Banja Luka
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 35 | −32 | 0 | — | — | — | – | — |
Group B
[edit]13–15 September 2024, Kragujevac, Serbia
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | VOU
|
RAD
|
ZUG
|
MLA
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NC Vouliagmeni
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Main round | — | — | — | – | |
| 2 | Radnički Kragujevac (H)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | — | – | – | ||
| 3 | BVSC-Zugló
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | — | — | — | ||
| 4 | HAVK Mladost Zagreb
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | – | — |
Group C
[edit]12–15 September 2024, Oradea, Romania
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ORA
|
SPA
|
BRE
|
PAOK
|
ENK
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CSM Oradea (H)
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 8 | +12 | 3 | Main round | — | – | – | — | — | |
| 2 | Spandau 04 Berlin
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 3 | — | — | — | 12–10 | – | ||
| 3 | AN Brescia
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | – | — | – | — | ||
| 4 | AC PAOK
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 12 | −2 | 0 | – | — | — | — | – | ||
| 5 | Enka Istanbul
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 20 | −12 | 0 | 8–20 | — | – | — | — |
Group D
[edit]13–15 September 2024, Sabadell, Spain
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | AST
|
ORT
|
SAB
|
PAY
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Astrapool Sabadell (H)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Main round | — | – | – | – | |
| 2 | CC Ortigia
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | – | ||
| 3 | VK Šabac
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | – | — | — | ||
| 4 | Pays d'Aix Natation
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | – | — |
Main round
[edit]
Red: Group A; 
Blue: Group B; 
Yellow: Group C; 
Green: Group DThe top two from each group make the quarter-finals round. The bottom two from each group drops down to the Euro Cup eighth-finals.
Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 2 points for a penalty shootout win, 1 point for a penalty shootout loss, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:
- Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Goals scored in all group matches.
This season, RN Savona return to the Champions League for the first time in 18 years. For the first time since 2010–11, Primorac Kotor will participate. Waspo'98 Hannover comes back after a one season absence.
Group A
[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NOV
|
HAN
|
STE
|
PAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novi Beograd
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to Quarter-finals | — | ||||
| 2 | Waspo'98 Hannover
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |||||
| 3 | Steaua București
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Transfer to Euro Cup | — | ||||
| 4 | Group C winner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Group B
[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | FTC
|
JAD
|
DIN
|
PAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FTC-Telekom
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to Quarter-finals | — | ||||
| 2 | Jadran Split
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |||||
| 3 | Dinamo Tbilisi
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Transfer to Euro Cup | — | ||||
| 4 | Group B winner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Group C
[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BAR
|
MAR
|
VAS
|
PAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zodiac Atlètic-Barceloneta
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to Quarter-finals | — | ||||
| 2 | CN Marseille
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |||||
| 3 | A-Híd Vasas Plaket
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Transfer to Euro Cup | — | ||||
| 4 | Group A winner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Group D
[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PSW | PSL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | OLY
|
SAV
|
KOT
|
PAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympiacos Piraeus
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to Quarter-finals | — | ||||
| 2 | RN Savona
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |||||
| 3 | Primorac Kotor
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Transfer to Euro Cup | — | ||||
| 4 | Group D winner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Final Four
[edit]On 18 January 2024, the final four was held in the capital of Malta, Valletta, at the National Pool Complex.[10][11]
References
[edit]- ^ Spencer-Boyce, James (June 2, 2023). "Changes to European competitions reinforced in Belgrade".
- ^ https://www.len.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/REGULATIONS-EUROPEAN-AQUATICS-WATER-POLO-CLUB-COMPETITIONS-1.pdf
- ^ a b "Men Clubs Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. August 18, 2024.
- ^ https://www.wpdworld.com/news/pro-recco-giocatori-liberi-addio-champions-lobiettivo-la-salvezza/
- ^ https://www.ilpost.it/2024/07/17/pro-recco-crisi-vendita-volpi/
- ^ https://www.rarinantes.sv.it/17818/primo-piano/pallanuoto-la-bper-rari-nantes-savona-ottiene-la-wild-card-e-accedera-direttamente-ai-gironi-di-champions-league
- ^ https://www.canottieriortigia.it/lortigia-partecipera-alla-champions-league-2024-25-sorteggio-domani-alle-ore-14.html
- ^ https://havk-mladost.hr/zapci-u-kvalifikacije-za-ligu-prvaka-u-kragujevac/
- ^ https://www.len.eu/champions-league-draw-excitements-guaranteed/
- ^ "Malta will host European Aquatics Men's Champions League Final Four the next three years - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. January 18, 2024.
- ^ Spencer-Boyce, James (January 18, 2024). "Malta to host the next three Champions League finales".