Euro Cup semis about to start

While the quarter finalists in the Champions League will be decided, the LEN Euro Cup tournament will see the best four teams of this year's edition performing in their first clash on Saturday. The first semi-final will be between the current national league's number two's from Spain and Hungary as newly Spanish national cup winners Sabadell take on a strong acting Szolnok squad. A battle between two great centre-forwards: Ivan Perez (Sabadell) and Gabor Kis (Szolnok) who recently returned from an injury that kept him out the Hungarian national team line-up for the European Championships in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Szolnok will still miss the offensive presence from Romanian international Ramiro Georgescu who is recovering from an ear-injury incurred during the Europeans at Eindhoven. Szolnok was the only semi-finalist who started the quarter finals with a win (11-7 against Russian representative Sintez Kazan) while Sabadell got stuck to a 13-13 draw against the Croatian side of VK Medvescak before advancing to the semi-finals was made possible with a 12-9 win in the second leg.

The second semi-final will be played at the home pool of title-holder Savona who will take on the familiar faces from Posillipo. Savona seems to be in favorite position as the classification in the Italian league shows (15 point difference) and Savona defeated Posillipo in Naples 12-10 just last week, but as both sides now each others strengts and weakenesses very well, a whole other result in this competition is possible. Both teams had their difficulties qualifying for the the 'final four' as things had to be finished off at home. Savona suffered a surprising 7-6 loss at Panionios Athens, Greece in a rematch of last year's LEN Trophy final matchup, while Posillipo got to a 9-9 draw at Belgrade, Serbia against Red Star before both Italian squads set things straight in front of their home crowds in leg 2.

LEN Euro Cup 2011-2011

Semi-finals - Leg 1

Schedule

Saturday 25-02

13.00: C.N. Sabadell (ESP) vs. Szolnoki Dözsa Közgep (HUN)
19.00: R.N. Savona (ITA) vs. C.N. Posillipo Naples (ITA)


* times are local time

Pictured: Ivan Perez (Sabadell) - Photo Henk Swinkels