Champions League crucial day 5 ahead

Just over a week after the 2012 European Championships, the main European club competition Champions League will continue on Wednesday. In the preliminary round, a crucial day 5 is ahead for a couple of teams in order to secure quarter finals qualification, or at least avoid elimination for one more round. The only group with not at least one qualified team, group C, is ready for an exciting finish as title-holder Partizan will host the Hungarian vice-champion and current group number one Vasas. If the Serbs lose or even draw, the quarter finals might be out sight. The first encounter between both teams ended up in a 10-10 draw at Budapest, Hungary. In group A, both Greek participants are fighting for their last changes as well. With the Croatian side Primorje already qualified for the next round, Olympiakos has to beat Budva at home and hope for a Montenegrin loss in the prelims final day 6. If Budva manages to walk away with a victory in Greece, the team from 2012 Europeans silver medalist Predrag Jokic will advance as the group's number two. Both qualifiers in group B are already determined, Jug and Mladost are sure of advancing to the quarter finals, but they will battle each other on Wednesday for the group's first place in Zagreb. In group D, Italian powerhouse Pro Recco is still unbeaten and is expected to roll to another easy win against the still pointless side of C.N. Marseille at home. Russian national champion Spartak Volgograd and Jadran Herceg Novi from Montenegro though will decide who will join the Italians in the next round.

Schedule (Wednesday, 8 February)


Group A

19.00 Olympiakos Piraeus (GRE) vs VK Budva M:tel (MNE)
20.15 Primorje Rijeka (CRO) vs Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Standings: 1. Primorje 12 points, 2. Budva 9, 3. Olympiakos 3, 4. Vouliagmeni 3.

Group B

18.45 HAVK Mladost Zagreb (CRO) vs Jug Dubrovnik (CRO)
20.00 Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) vs Vojvodina Novi Sad (SRB)

Standings: 1. Jug 12 points, 2. Mladost 9, 3. Vojvodina 1, 4. Spandau 1.

Group C

19.00 Partizan Raiffeisen Belgrade (SRB) vs Teva‐Vasas Uniqa (HUN)
19.00 ZF Eger (HUN) vs Szeged Beton (HUN)

Standings: 1. Vasas 8 points, 2. Szeged 7, 3. Partizan 4, 4. Eger 3.

Group D

19.00 Ferla Pro Recco (ITA) vs CN Marseille (FRA)
18.00 Jadran Herceg Novi (MNE) vs Spartak Volgograd (RUS)

Standings: 1. Pro Recco 12 points, 2. Spartak 6, 3. Jadran 4, 4. Marseille 0.


* Times are local times


Pictured: Slobodan Soro and Partizan are in a do-or-die situation on Wednesday

Photographer: Henk Swinkels