For the equivalent women's tournament, see 2023–24 LEN Women's Euro Cup.

The 2023–24 LEN Euro Cup is the 32nd edition of the water polo competition organised by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). This is the first season under the new changes made by LEN.[1]

The defending champions are A-Híd Vasas Plaket, but they were eliminated by Jug AO Dubrovnik in the eight-finals.

The winners were Jug AO Dubrovnik, who defeated Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka 12–6 in an all-Croatian final.[2]

Format

36 teams (14 from Champions League and 18 starting in this competition) will compete in this tournament. The 36 teams are divided into eight groups, four with five clubs and four with four teams. The groups are held in one country, where the top 2 in every group advances to the group stage. For the first time ever, the group stage will be played in a home and away system. Like the previous round, the top 2 progresses into the knockout stage. The 8 teams left, plus the 8 teams that were eliminated at the Champions League main round, go into the knockout stage. There will be eighth-finals, quarter-finals and a final four competition to decide the champions. [3]

Rankings

Starting this season, LEN also started a club rankings. Excluding the teams eliminated from the Champion League, only countries ranked in the top 12 can enter a maximum of three teams in the Euro Cup.[4]

Teams

Eliminated in Champions League qualification round
Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka France CN Noisy-le-Sec France EN Tourcoing Germany Waspo'98 Hannover
Germany ASC Duisburg Greece GS Apollon Smyrnis Hungary OSC Budapest Hungary Endo Plus Service Honvéd
Italy CC Ortigia Montenegro Primorac Kotor Romania CSM Oradea Romania Dinamo București
Serbia Radnički Kragujevac Spain CN Barcelona
Entering this tournament
Croatia HAVK Mladost Zagreb (4th) Croatia Solaris Šibenik (5th) France Pays d'Aix Natation (5th) France Sète Natation (6th)
Germany White Sharks Hannover (4th) Germany SV Ludwigsburg 08 (5th) Germany OSC Potsdam (6th) Greece Panionios GSS (4th)
Greece G.S. Peristeri (5th) Greece Panathinaikos (6th) Hungary A-Híd Vasas Plaket (4th) Hungary BVSC-Zugló (5th)
Hungary Szolnoki Dózsa (6th) Italy Telimar Palermo (4th) Italy Pallanuoto Trieste (5th) Italy RN Savona (6th)
Serbia Partizan Beograd (4th) Serbia VK Šabac (5th) Serbia VK Valis (6th) Spain CN Terrassa (4th)
Spain CN Mataró (5th) Spain Tenerife Echeyde (6th)

Round and draw dates

Schedule

Phase Round Round date[5][6]
Qualification round 21–24 September 2023
Main round Matchday 1 6–7 October 2023
Matchday 2 19 October 2023
Matchday 3 2 November 2023
Matchday 4 16 November 2023
Matchday 5 23 November 2023
Matchday 6 9 December 2024
Eighth-finals First leg 8 March 2024
Second leg 23 March 2024
Quarter-finals First leg 6 April 2024
Second leg 27 April 2024
Final four Semifinals 17 May 2024
Final 18 May 2024

Qualification round

Draw

The draw was on 11 September 2023. H indicates which club is hosting the groups.[7][8][9] Teams in bold advanced to the group stage. The seeding was decided by as follows:

  • The new LEN club rankings.[10]
  • LEN country club rankings.[11]
  • LEN men's national team rankings (although not applied).[12]
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5

Germany Waspo'98 Hannover
Hungary OSC Budapest
Italy CC Ortigia
Hungary Szolnoki Dózsa
Italy RN Savona
Serbia Radnički Kragujevac
Spain CN Barcelona (H)
Hungary A-Híd Vasas Plaket

Croatia HAVK Mladost Zagreb
Montenegro Primorac Kotor (H)
Serbia VK Šabac (H)
Italy Telimar Palermo
France EN Tourcoing (H)
Romania CSM Oradea
Hungary BVSC-Zugló (H)
Greece Panionios GSS (H)

Italy Pallanuoto Trieste
Spain CN Terrassa
France CN Noisy-le-Sec
Greece GS Apollon Smyrnis
Serbia Partizan Beograd
Croatia Solaris Šibenik
Germany SV Ludwigsburg 08
Hungary Endo Plus Service Honvéd

France Pays d'Aix Natation
Germany ASC Duisburg (H)
Greece G.S. Peristeri
Spain Tenerife Echeyde
Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka (H)
Germany OSC Potsdam
Serbia VK Valis
Spain CN Mataró

Greece Panathinaikos
France Sète Natation
Germany White Sharks Hannover
Romania Dinamo București

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Serbia SAB Italy ORT France NOI Serbia VAL Romania DIN
1 Serbia VK Šabac (H) 4 4 0 0 0 53 27 +26 12 Group stage — 11–9 13–9 14–5 15–4
2 Italy CC Ortigia 4 3 0 0 1 55 42 +13 9 — — — 17–10 —
3 France CN Noisy-le-Sec 4 2 0 0 2 51 48 +3 6 — 11–16 — — —
4 Serbia VK Valis 4 1 0 0 3 43 52 −9 3 — — 11–14 — 17–7
5 Romania Dinamo București 4 0 0 0 4 29 62 −33 0 — 10–13 8–17 — —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Hungary VAS Hungary ZUG Spain MAT Germany LUD
1 Hungary A-Híd Vasas Plaket 3 3 0 0 0 54 34 +20 9 Group stage — — 18–11 20–8
2 Hungary BVSC-Zugló (H) 3 2 0 0 1 48 33 +15 6 15–16 — 16–5 17–12
3 Spain CN Mataró 3 1 0 0 2 28 43 −15 3 — — — 12–9
4 Germany SV Ludwigsburg 08 3 0 0 0 3 29 49 −20 0 — — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Italy TRI France TOU Hungary SZO France PAY
1 Italy Pallanuoto Trieste 3 3 0 0 0 46 28 +18 9 Group stage — — 15–11 —
2 France EN Tourcoing (H) 3 2 0 0 1 34 32 +2 6 11–12 — — 11–10
3 Hungary Szolnoki Dózsa 3 1 0 0 2 43 37 +6 3 — 10–12 — 22–10
4 France Pays d'Aix Natation 3 0 0 0 3 26 52 −26 0 6–19 — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Croatia PRI Croatia SOL Romania ORA Serbia RAD
1 Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka (H) 3 3 0 0 0 39 20 +19 9 Group stage — — 11–8 8–6
2 Croatia Solaris Šibenik 3 2 0 0 1 29 41 −12 6 6–20 — 13–12 —
3 Romania CSM Oradea 3 1 0 0 2 29 31 −2 3 — — — 9–7
4 Serbia Radnički Kragujevac 3 0 0 0 3 22 27 −5 0 — 9–10 — —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group E

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Hungary HON Greece PAN Hungary OSC Spain TEN Germany HAN
1 Hungary Endo Plus Service Honvéd 4 4 0 0 0 56 36 +20 12 Group stage — 15–12 — 18–9 —
2 Greece Panionios GSS (H) 4 3 0 0 1 64 38 +26 9 — — 14–11 — 23–7
3 Hungary OSC Budapest 4 2 0 0 2 57 40 +17 6 9–10 — — 20–11 —
4 Spain Tenerife Echeyde 4 0 1 0 3 34 63 −29 2 — 5–15 — — 13–11[a]
5 Germany White Sharks Hannover 4 0 0 1 3 28 62 −34 1 6–13 — 5–17 — —
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. ^ Match ended 10–10, Tenerife Echeyde won 3–1 on penalties

Group F

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Italy TEL Italy SAV Serbia PAR France SET Germany DUI
1 Italy Telimar Palermo 4 3 0 1 0 53 37 +16 10 Group stage — — — 15–7 —
2 Italy RN Savona 4 3 0 0 1 57 42 +15 9 10–12 — — — —
3 Serbia Partizan Beograd 4 2 1 0 1 53 45 +8 8 17–15[a] 10–15 — 16–7 —
4 France Sète Natation 4 1 0 0 3 32 57 −25 3 — 8–16 — — —
5 Germany ASC Duisburg (H) 4 0 0 0 4 40 54 −14 0 8–14 9–13 11–14 9–10 —
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. ^ Match ended 12–12, Partizan Beograd won 5–3 on penalties

Group G

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain BAR Greece APO Croatia MLA Germany POT
1 Spain CN Barcelona (H) 3 3 0 0 0 47 23 +24 9 Group stage — 13–6 12–11 23–6
2 Greece GS Apollon Smyrnis 3 2 0 0 1 40 31 +9 6 — — — —
3 Croatia HAVK Mladost Zagreb 3 1 0 0 2 41 36 +5 3 — 7–15 — —
4 Germany OSC Potsdam 3 0 0 0 3 26 64 −38 0 — 11–19 9–23 —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group H

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Montenegro KOT Germany HAN Greece PER Spain TER Greece PAN
1 Montenegro Primorac Kotor (H) 4 3 1 0 0 40 29 +11 11 Group stage — 11–7 12–6 14–12[a] 8–7
2 Germany Waspo'98 Hannover 4 3 0 0 1 43 37 +6 9 — — 15–9 7–6 —
3 Greece G.S. Peristeri 4 1 1 0 2 37 48 −11 5 — — — 14–13 12–10[b]
4 Spain CN Terrassa 4 1 0 1 2 46 42 +4 4 — — — — 18–12
5 Greece Panathinaikos 4 0 0 1 3 38 48 −10 1 — 11–14 — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. ^ Match ended 9–9, Primorac Kotor won 5–3 on penalties
  2. ^ Match ended 8–8, G.S. Peristeri won 4–2 on penalties

Group stage

class=notpageimage|
Location of teams of the 2023–24 LEN Euro Cup group stage.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B; Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.

The draw took place on 26 September 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.[13] The top 2 from every group advances to the 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 is the first time that this round is being held in a home and away format. Nine countries are being represented, with Italy boasting the most clubs with four.


Seeding

The eight teams in pot 1 won their group in the qualification round, while the 8 runners-up in the qualification round are in pot 2.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain BAR France TOU Italy TEL Croatia SOL
1 Spain CN Barcelona 6 5 0 0 1 73 53 +20 15 Eighth-finals — 15–13 11–3 8–7
2 France EN Tourcoing 6 3 0 1 2 65 66 −1 10 9–13 — 14–11 17–18[a]
3 Italy Telimar Palermo 6 2 0 0 4 57 68 −11 6 12–11 9–10 — 11–9
4 Croatia Solaris Šibenik 6 1 1 0 4 56 64 −8 5 9–15 8–9 13–11 —
Source: LEN
  1. ^ Match ended 10–10, Solaris Šibenik won 8–7 on penalties

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Italy SAV Hungary VAS Hungary HON Greece APO
1 Italy RN Savona 6 5 0 0 1 78 64 +14 15 Eighth-finals — 16–13 14–7 13–10
2 Hungary A-Híd Vasas Plaket 6 4 0 1 1 86 74 +12 13 18–17 — 16–19[a] 19–15
3 Hungary Endo Plus Service Honvéd 6 2 1 0 3 53 67 −14 8 5–6 3–11 — 12–11
4 Greece GS Apollon Smyrnis 6 0 0 0 6 65 77 −12 0 11–12 8–10 10–11 —
Source: LEN
  1. ^ Match ended 15–15, Endo Plus Service Honvéd won 4–1 on penalties

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Croatia RIJ Hungary ZUG Serbia SAB Germany HAN
1 Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka 6 4 0 0 2 84 71 +13 12[a] Eighth-finals — 19–10 15–10 13–9
2 Hungary BVSC-Zugló 6 4 0 0 2 78 72 +6 12[a] 22–13 — 11–9 10–9
3 Serbia VK Šabac 6 3 0 0 3 59 58 +1 9 10–8 10–8 — 14–4
4 Germany Waspo'98 Hannover 6 1 0 0 5 56 76 −20 3 10–16 12–17 12–6 —
Source: LEN
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka 32–32 BVSC-Zugló, placements are decided by goal difference

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Greece PAN Italy ORT Montenegro KOT Italy TRI
1 Greece Panionios GSS 6 3 1 0 2 67 62 +5 11 Eighth-finals — 13–10 8–5 26–25[a]
2 Italy CC Ortigia 6 3 0 0 3 73 76 −3 9[b] 13–12 — 9–14 11–14
3 Montenegro Primorac Kotor 6 3 0 0 3 61 63 −2 9[b] 9–10 12–18 — 9–8
4 Italy Pallanuoto Trieste 6 2 0 1 3 68 68 0 7 9–8 11–12 10–12 —
Source: LEN
Notes:
  1. ^ Match ended 16–16, Panionios GSS won 10–9 on penalties
  2. ^ a b CC Ortigia 27–26 Primorac Kotor

Knockout stage

Main article: 2023–24 LEN Euro Cup knockout stage
 
Eight-finalsQuarter-finals
 
          
 
8 March/23 March
 
 
Italy CC Ortigia 8 12 20
 
6 April/27 April
 
Germany Spandau 04 8 14 22
 
Germany Spandau 04 11 1223
 
8 March/23 March
 
Italy RN Savona 10 10 20
 
Montenegro Jadran Herceg Novi 10 13 23
 
 
Italy RN Savona 16 12 28
 
 
8 March/23 March
 
 
Spain Astralpool Sabadell 18 15 33
 
6 April/27 April
 
France EN Tourcoing 11 12 23
 
Spain Astralpool Sabadell 6 7 13
 
8 March/23 March
 
Romania Steaua București 5 6 11
 
Romania Steaua București 11 20 PS 31
 
 
Greece Panionios GSS 12 18 30
 
 
8 March/23 March
 
 
Serbia Crvena zvezda 11 12 23
 
9 April/27 April
 
Hungary BVSC-Zugló 13 9 22
 
Serbia Crvena zvezda 9 10 19
 
8 March/23 March
 
Croatia Jug AO Dubrovnik 15 14 29
 
Hungary A-Híd Vasas Plaket 118 19
 
 
Croatia Jug AO Dubrovnik 12 9 21
 
 
8 March/23 March
 
 
Georgia (country) Dinamo Tbilisi 7 15 22
 
6 April/27 April
 
Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka 8 20 28
 
Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka 9 15 24
 
8 March/23 March
 
Greece NC Vouliagmeni 14 9 23
 
Greece NC Vouliagmeni 17 10 27
 
 
Spain CN Barcelona 13 6 19
 

Eight-finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Jug AO Dubrovnik Croatia 21–19 Hungary A-Híd Vasas Plaket 12–11 9–8
BVSC-Zugló Hungary 22–23 Serbia Crvena zvezda 13–11 9–12
Spandau 04 Germany 22–20 Italy CC Ortigia 8–8 14–12
Astralpool Sabadell Spain 33–23 France EN Tourcoing 18–11 15–12
Panionios GSS Greece 30–31 Romania Steaua București 12–11 18–20 PS
Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka Croatia 28–22 Georgia (country) Dinamo Tbilisi 8–7 20–15
RN Savona Italy 28–23 Montenegro Jadran Herceg Novi 16–10 12–13
CN Barcelona Spain 19–27 Greece NC Vouliagmeni 13–17 6–10

Quarter-finals

The draw took place in Barcelona on 26 March 2024.[14][15] There was no seeding.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
RN Savona Italy 20–23 Germany Spandau 04 10–11 10–12
Steaua București Romania 11–13 Spain Astralpool Sabadell 5–6 6–7
Jug AO Dubrovnik Croatia 29–19 Serbia Crvena zvezda 15–9 14–10
NC Vouliagmeni Greece 23–24 Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka 14–9 9–15

Final four

The final four was held at the Bazeni Kantrida in the Croatian city, Rijeka. The city was given the hosting rights on 2 May 2024.[16][17] Originally, NC Vouliagmeni won the hosting rights,[18] but after they were eliminated, Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka, backed the Rijeka government, decided to file an application.[19][20] Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka paid LEN 40,000 Euros in order to organise the event.[21]

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
17 May
 
 
Germany Spandau 0412
 
18 May
 
Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka14
 
Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka6
 
17 May
 
Croatia Jug AO Dubrovnik12
 
Spain Astralpool Sabadell7
 
 
Croatia Jug AO Dubrovnik11
 
Third place
 
 
18 May
 
 
Germany Spandau 042
 
 
Spain Astralpool Sabadell9

Semi-finals

17 May 2024
17:45 		Report Astralpool Sabadell Spain 7–11 Croatia Jug AO Dubrovnik Bazeni Kantrida, Rijeka
Referees:
Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Michiel Zwart (NED)
Score by quarters: 2–3, 1–3, 3–3, 1–2
Vidović 2 Goals Lazic 5
17 May 2024
20:00 		Report Spandau 04 Germany 12–14 Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka Bazeni Kantrida, Rijeka
Referees:
Alessandro Severo (ITA), Tamas Kovacs-Csatlos (HUN)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 3–0, 4–7, 2–3
Strelezkij 5 Goals four players 3

Third place match

18 May 2024
17:45 		Report Astralpool Sabadell Spain 9–2 Germany Spandau 04 Bazeni Kantrida, Rijeka
Referees:
Vojin Putnikovic (SRB), Michiel Zwart (NED)
Score by quarters: 1–0, 2–1, 3–0, 3–1
Stamm, Tkáč 1 Goals three players 2

Final

18 May 2024
20:00 		Report Jug AO Dubrovnik Croatia 12–6 Croatia Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka Bazeni Kantrida, Rijeka
Referees:
Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Alessandro Severo (ITA)
Score by quarters: 3–1, 1–1, 6–2, 2–2
Cabañas, Daube 3 Goals Brubnjak, Kadivec 2


2023–24 LEN Euro Cup Champions
Croatia
Jug AO Dubrovnik
Second title

See also

References

  1. ^ Spencer-Boyce, James (June 2, 2023). "Changes to European competitions reinforced in Belgrade".
  2. ^ "Rijeka silenced as Jug crowned Euro Cup champions - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. May 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "Big changes in European water polo club competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. June 2, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Men Clubs Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  5. ^ "Calendar 2023 - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. December 16, 2022.
  6. ^ "Calendar 2024 - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. March 31, 2023.
  7. ^ "Draws for Euro Cup and Challenger Cup - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "LEN Qualifying Round Draws: 2023/2024 Euro Cup Men, Challenger Cup Men and Women - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. September 11, 2023.
  9. ^ Curcic, Ivan (September 11, 2023). "Plenty of national clashes in Euro Cup qualifications; Vasas starts title defense from Budapest".
  10. ^ "Men Club Ranking - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  11. ^ "Men Clubs Country Ranking - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Men Country Ranking - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  13. ^ "Draws for Group Stage in three cup competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 25, 2023.
  14. ^ "Water polo draw marathon set to commence in Barcelona - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. March 25, 2024.
  15. ^ "Draw marathon sets up exciting showdowns - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. March 26, 2024.
  16. ^ "Završnica vaterpolskog Eurokupa igrat će se u Rijeci". Sportnet.
  17. ^ "Grad Rijeka postao domaćin Final Foura - SportCom.hr". www.sportcom.hr.
  18. ^ "Rijeka istaknula kandidaturu za domaćinstvo Final 4 vaterpolo turnira". Ofenziva. May 1, 2024.
  19. ^ Volarić, Ivan (May 2, 2024). "Primorje EB dobilo organizaciju Final Four turnira Euro kupa vaterpolista". Novi list.
  20. ^ V, I. "Grad Rijeka prihvatio domaćinstvo za Final Four! - SportCom.hr". mail.sportcom.hr.
  21. ^ Volarić, Ivan (May 4, 2024). "Poznato je koliko će Primorje EB stajati organizacija završnog turnira LEN Euro Kupa". Novi list.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023%E2%80%9324_LEN_Euro_Cup
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