Get ready for an action-packed day at the Men's European Water Polo Championships in Belgrade! Today, we're diving into the intense matches of Day 12, where every stroke and save matters. But here's where it gets controversial... some teams are fighting for their first win, while others are already locked into their positions. Let's dive into the previews and uncover the stories behind these matches.
Türkiye vs Georgia: A Battle for Pride and Position
At 15:30, Türkiye and Georgia face off in a crucial Group Stage II match. Both teams are seeking their first victory in this stage, and the outcome will determine their path forward. The winners will battle France for 9th place, while the losers will face the Netherlands in the 11th/12th-place final. This rivalry has a rich history, with Georgia holding a slight edge. They first met 10 years ago at the Belgrade Arena, with Georgia emerging victorious 12-11. In the following two editions, Georgia continued their dominance, winning 15-10 in 2018 and 12-6 in 2020. But here's a fun fact: when Georgia qualified for the European Championship for the first time in 2014, they did so at Türkiye's expense. It was a thrilling home-and-away duel, with Georgia narrowly keeping their aggregate advantage.
Italy vs Croatia: A Quarter-Final Preview?
Next up, at 18:00, we have a quarter-final-like clash between Italy and Croatia. The winners will advance to the semi-finals, where Serbia awaits, while the losers will have to settle for the 5th/6th-place classification game. These two teams have a long history, having faced each other a whopping 104 times! Since Croatia's emergence as an independent nation, Italy is the only team they've played over 100 games against. Croatia leads the series 54-40, with 10 draws. Their most recent major tournament clash was at the Paris Olympics, where Italy took the win 14-11 in the group stage. At the Europeans, they've met 12 times, with Croatia leading 7-4 and one draw. Both teams are on the cusp of scoring their 100th goal against each other, with a goal difference of 93-88. Their most memorable clashes include finals at the big tournaments: Europeans in Zagreb 2010 (7-3), Olympics in London 2012 (8-6), and Worlds in Doha 2024 (11-11, 4-2). Croatia has won each of these gold medal bouts.
Romania vs Greece: A Locked Position, but an Unpredictable Match
At 20:30, Romania and Greece take to the pool. Greece is locked into first place in the group, regardless of the outcome on Wednesday, and will face Hungary in the semi-finals. Romania, on the other hand, is destined for fourth place and will meet France for 7th place. While Greece has dominated recent official tournament matches, Romania did manage to beat them twice back in 2012 at the Olympic Qualification Tournament and the World League qualifier. At the Europeans, they had a close contest in 2014, with Greece winning 10-9. The last two matches were more lopsided, with Greece winning 15-9 in 2016 and 14-7 in 2020, both times in the eight-finals. Here's an interesting fun fact: after Serbia's loss to Montenegro last night, Greece is the only unbeaten team left in the tournament, with an impressive record of five wins from five games so far.
Don't miss a stroke of the action! Catch all the matches live on Eurovision Sport. For the full schedule, results, and tables, visit the European Aquatics website. And for tickets to the Men's European Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, click the link provided. Stay tuned to our social media accounts for more updates and news.
Gergely Csurka, European Aquatics
P.S. Which match are you most excited about? And do you think Greece can maintain their unbeaten streak? Let us know in the comments!
