In the deciding match of the last round of the Champions League group stage, the water polo players of Radnički Kragujevac will host Olympiacos on Wednesday at 8 p.m. The stakes are huge – a place in the quarterfinals of the most elite European competition.
The team from Šumadija is currently tied for second place with Zagreb’s Mladost, which is leading the eight best teams in Europe. However, the Zagreb team faces a much easier task, considering that they will host the Hungarian team Vasas, which has not won a point so far.
Despite this, Radnički holds its fate in its own hands. A win in Athens will surely secure passage, while a triumph by two or more goals would secure the first place in the group for the Kragujevac team. Theoretically, Radnički can advance without a win in the regular season, but then it is necessary for Mladost to win the same or fewer points against Vasaš.
– Things are completely clear – a victory guarantees us a place in the next phase and we will do our best to achieve it, although we are aware that we have an extremely difficult task ahead of us. Olympiacos is a top team, especially difficult on home soil, and there is no doubt that they will also go for the win. We really want to advance and we believe that we can achieve victory – emphasized Nikola Murisic, center of Radnički.
The Kragujevac team has reason to be optimistic. The team is in excellent form at the start of the second half of the season, as confirmed by convincing victories in Montenegrin away games against Buducnost (25:10), and especially against Jadran from Herceg Novi (21:13).
– We relied on the good energy and winning mentality of our national team teammates who won gold at the European Championship. We are satisfied with how we look and now the most important thing is to maintain that level in the decisive matches ahead of us – added Murisic.
Olympiacos won with a goal from Zalanki at the end of a tight duel in Kragujevac (13:12), although the home team also had its chances.
– They beat us in Kragujevac, but I think we will ask ourselves a little more now than we did then, when we were not in the right rhythm. We had good moments, but also too many mistakes. The situation is different now and I believe we can play a real, solid and disciplined match. A lot will come from the defense – we know where the biggest danger comes from and we have to prevent their key players from playing, like in the first match – concluded Murisic.
SCHEDULE
All matches start on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Group “A”: Olympiacos – Radnicki, Mladost – Vasas.
Standings: Olympiacos 12, Radnicki and Mladost 9, Vasas no points.
Group “B”: Jadran HN – Novi Beograd, Jadran S – Pro Reko
Ranking: Pro Reko 15, Novi Beograd and Jadran HN 6, Jadran S 3.
Group C: Primorac – Ferencváros, Brescia – Oradea
Standings: Ferencváros 13th, Brescia 11th, Primorac and Oradea 3rd.
Group D: Barceloneta – Hannover, Sabadell – Marseille.
Standings: Barceloneta 12th, Hannover 9th, Marseille 6th, Sabadell 3rd.
