Group B
AN Brescia (ITA) v CN Marseille (FRA)
Milos Scepanovic, coach, Marseille
“This match will be an opportunity for us to find a state of mind and a dynamic game for the rest of the season. It is in difficult times that we learn the most. It’s up to us to make the most of it.”
Arshak Hovannisyan, player, Marseille
“We have to show pride and aggression for this second leg against them. We played in the first leg a match where we were not at our level at all, and against a team of this quality we cannot afford to play like that. We are in a period where we are not ourselves and we must find our level of play by staying united and continuing to work hard.”
FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) v Genesys OSC Budapest (HUN)
Zsolt Varga, coach, FTC
“We can say that the previous match was dominated by our side. We could take advantage of this situation, though it is also really important to see that the last quarter went badly from our angle. We have to consider that OSC has this edge too. It is paramount to halt OSC’s dynamism which they showed in the last quarter.”
Denes Varga, player, FTC
“If we look at this season, I can say that we are playing better since our lost match in Spandau. I hope that we can show that now once more, while OSC hasn’t played well since the Cup final in December. I expect that they will prepare for this match and if both team play well, it is going to be a high quality meet. I also think that we have to come out as winners.”
Daniel Varga, coach, OSC
After our big loss to Ferencvaros ten days ago we mustn’t invent waterp olo again and change everything what we are. We already have tactics, culture and very good players, so the goal is to keep the faith in ourselves and try to give our best. We need to be disciplined and creative as well. That is the way to get back to the right track.”
Ferenc Salamon, player, OSC
“Our last match against Ferencváros did not go as planned. We want to correct this on Friday. Both teams know each other well and I expect a difficult match. I hope many supporters turn up in the Komjádi pool.”
VK Novi Beograd (SRB) v Astralpool Sabadell (ESP)
Djordje Filipovic, assistant coach, NBG
“We had a fresh experience of playing against Astralpool Sabadell. Our last game in Spain in against them was very tough. That was what we expected because it is hard for all teams to play in their pool. That game was equal till the end, but we managed to win. Sabadell is a typical Spanish team, they are very persistent, but I must admit that we are very optimistic. We strongly believe in what we are doing, we believe in our team and our players, and we hope that we will gain another three points in the Champions League.”
Alvaro Granados, player, NBG
“It will be a very tough game. We will play against a young and very motivated team. They swim a lot, and they are physically very well prepared and it is obvious that they are very excited about playing in the Champions League. Because all of that, there is a very hard match ahead of us, but we need to be conscious of ourselves, about our level, about what we expect from ourselves. The most important thing is that we need to know that we are a better team. That means that we need to play our game, do our best and if we stick to our style of play, we will win for sure.”
Quim Colet, coach, Sabadell
“We approach this game with the same desire as we did last Wednesday. Despite facing last year’s runner-up, we showed in many phases of the game that we could stand up to them. We know they are stronger at home, but we will try to get a good result.”
Javi Bustos, player, Sabadell
“We have to stick with the game we played last week at home against Novi Beograd. During many phases of the match, we were close, and all in all, against a team like the vice-champions of Europe this is not easy. Our team is growing little by little and that is important.”
Jug Adriatic Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO) v Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)
Vjekoslav Kobescak, coach, Jug
“We face one of the most important games of the season, which can determine our path in the Champions League. Spandau is a dangerous opponent, as they showed in the first game in Berlin. I believe that the points will remain in Gruz.”
Konstantinos Kakaris, player, Jug
“Although weakened by injuries, I believe in our team and in our game. We will do everything to claim three crucial points in the fight for the Final 8.”
Athanasios Kechagias, coach, Spandau
„After our unfortunate defeat in the first leg against Jug and due to the consequence of only being able to play with 12 players in Dubrovnik, our starting situation is bad. To keep the possibility of participating in the Final8 we have to win in Dubrovnik. That is a big challenge. We don’t plan to leave the points in Croatia as a gift. May the better team win.”
Dmitrii Kholod, captain, Spandau
“We are well prepared for the match against Dubrovnik. We have shown in Berlin that we can win against Jug. Nothing seems impossible.”
Group A
Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) v Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)
Uros Stevanovic, coach, Radnicki
“In the first game in Athens, we played well in the first half, but with problems in the roster we could not maintain that level throughout the game. I hope that we will put up a better resistance this time, and not just for two quarters.“
Luka Pljevancic, player, Radnicki
“In Athens, we held on well until the middle of the third quarter, we were even in the lead twice, but we failed to maintain a high level until the end of the match. That was not enough for a better result against the great team of Olympiakos, which is one of the favourites to win the Champions League and I hope that we will put up even stronger resistance at home.”
Igor Milanovic, coach, Olympiacos
“We are going to Kragujevac to win, of course! We played a very tough game last time in Piraeus, especially in the first half. We have to watch out for their forwards who shoot very well. So let’s go for the win! I believe in my team, and I hope that everything will happen as expected.”
Marko Bijac, goalie, Olympiacos
“We know how Radnicki play, we faced them in the previous game at the Papastratio. They are a very strong opponent, they gave us some problems here, they play well at home, and last year we lost the match there. We have to approach the game very carefully and give our best to get the three points, three very important points to continue the good run we have been on.”
Pro Recco (ITA) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
Matteo Aicardi, player, Pro Recco
“Against Dinamo Tbilisi it will be a challenge that we will need to prepare for the Italian Cup finals scheduled for next week. We know that the opponent is not at our level, but it will still be important to start the game with concentration and attention to our defence. It will be wonderful to see the LEN Champions League in Imperia, in that pool I started my first adventures with the grown-ups at the age of 15. It is a city that always responds with passion.”
Zurab Rurua, assistant coach, Dinamo
“It will be very good if we make less mistakes and focus on their aggressive game. We must use as much extraman advantage as possible. It will be a very hard game for us.”
Besarion Akhvlediani, player, Dinamo
“We train intensively, we work on our mistakes to fix and solve. It’s going to be a tough game against Pro Recco, this is the team which aspire to win the Champions League again. But we will not give up anything and will do our best.”
NC Vouliagmeni (GRE) v Waspo 98 Hannover (GER)
Vladimir Vujasinovic, coach, Vouliagmeni
“In the last round we played a great game in Hannover, and we want to repeat the good performance at home. We know that this one will be difficult as every match so far, still, our goal is to win all three points.”
Ioannis Alafragkis, player, Vouliagmeni
“Hannover is a very competitive team with a lot of good players, most of whom are internationals. I think we showed in Germany that we can control the game against them from early on and it was pretty vital for the victory there. That’s the way we should approach this week’s game too, because if we don’t do that then it’s going to be really dangerous. We absolutely need these three points in order to keep our hopes high for the Final Eight and we are ready to give everything we have in order to get them.”
Karsten Seehafer, coach, Hannover
“At the moment I hope we will arrive on time to the start of the match with these strikes at the airports in Germany… And also hope that if we play, we will do it better as in Hannover ten days ago…”
Marko Macan, player, Hannover
“There are still many games to play before the end of the Champions League. We have to use those for the development of the younger players and to perform to the best of our ability. They showed they are a good team, but we think we have a real chance to take some points in return…”
Fynn Schütze, player, Hannover
“We have something to do well against Vouliagmeni. We’re the better team and we have to bring our qualities into the water on Saturday.”
Zodiac CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v Jadran Split (CRO)
Elvis Fatovic, coach, Barceloneta
“In our first meeting we gave them a lot of trouble thanks to our good start. As we have seen the key thing is a good defense from the start. We will enter this match seriously because we know that they have the quality to make the game difficult for us.”
Fran Fernandez, player, Barceloneta
“We cannot relax, we should avoid thinking of it. Jadran Split have quality players who are going to demand 100% from us. We are at a key moment of the season, and we want to take one more step closer to our goal. After some very demanding weeks of important matches, we have had a few days to recover our strength, improve our physical condition and continue to grow as a team. I’m impatient to play in front of our people and offer them a good match.”
Alejandro Bustos, player, Barceloneta
“Jadran have a good team. In the first match, we played really well in defence and that made the difference. And we will enter this game with the same aggressivity that characterises our team. We hope for three points in our pool with our fans, and a step closer to the Final 8.”
Jure Marelja, coach, Jadran
“We must learn from our last game. What to say, we scored the first goal in mid-third quarter… They were playing good pressing, but we managed to score something late in the game. It is good that our goalkeeper was in good form, he saved us from a bigger disaster. Now we must start the game much better and try to overcome some of our low points in the game.”
Mate Anic, goalkeeper, Jadran
“Yes, I myself had a good game, but altogether we didn’t do much. We need to be more aggressive and fluent in attack. We talked among ourselves, and we are confident we can show better water polo in Barcelona then we did in our home soil.”
