Jug in the 42nd European Super Cup
On Saturday evening from 8:00 p.m., at the legendary Bela Komjadi swimming pool in Budapest, right next to the Danube, the fight for this season's first European Cup in our sport begins. Basically, this match is formally recorded or refers to the 2023/24 season. because it meets the teams that won the Champions League or the Eurocup that season, but since we are at the beginning of the new season, it can be said that it is the first big final of this season. Therefore, the European Super Cup is ahead of us. Exactly 42nd in order.
Tickets went 'on fire'
Wherever they place it in terms of time, the match between Ferencvaros and Jug Adriatic osiguranje in Budapest is attracting a lot of attention. Tickets were snapped up days in advance, sales started more than two weeks ago. We are honored and charmed that one of our clubs is a participant in that match. The champion of Europe, Budapest star team, Ferencvaros welcomes Jug Adriatic osiguranje, who won the Eurocup last season. They won then in the final in Rijeka against the home team Primorje EB. Therefore, in one Euro-final in 2024, the national team was more successful than the hosts. Can I do it again, albeit against an immeasurably stronger, bigger, stronger opponent?
They are additionally strengthened compared to last season. They have probably 20 players competing for the first team. They actually have a player for two teams, and both would be strong - says one of the southern national team members, silver Olympian, Marko Žuvela, who continues.
There is no need to waste words on their strength. Quality is heavily on their side. We go, we can't say unburdened, but surely the burden is a little more on them. They really "have to" as they say, and we will do our best. With the aggressiveness we showed during last week's tournament in France, we will try to match them. We are a very young team, we have a lot of young players who are now meeting for the first time against generally such great rivals, players. It will certainly be a good experience for them, and a good test for us to see if we can compete with such teams. Ferencvaros, along with Olympiacos, is in my opinion one of the main favorites to win the Champions League this season as well.
We won't reveal anything new if we establish that the Hungarian team is a clear favorite, but there is one word, there are three letters that always and everywhere in Europe inspire respect - South. Whatever he is, young or old, experienced or inexperienced, he does not relax against southpaws.
A set of stars
The Ferencvaros team hardly needs a special introduction. Toy size, star to star. On the right are Marton Vamos and Dušan Mandić, who together form the strongest tandem of lefties in the world, and individually they are certainly among the best three lefties. On the left are Vigvari, Di Somma and a very former southpaw, the Greek Argyropoulos. We have not forgotten Manhercz, who approached them this summer together with the mentioned Vamos, as well as the Spanish national team member Miguel Del Toro, but also the Italian national team member, Edoardo Di Somma. And yes, Denes Varga is still there, who, perhaps, the Hungarians are keeping this a little hidden from the media, could play a farewell match against the southpaw, ending his career. In other words, Hungarians prepare a feast in advance. This kind of thing can sometimes be problematic.
Ferencvaros is so strong today that they can afford, and they did that a few days ago, that they loaned one of the more gifted kids, Bence Haverkampf, to Recco.
Otherwise, in domestic championship in which two rounds were played, on Wednesday they visited Pecs and won 29:5. Goliad!
Six Super Cups in Croatia
Of the previous 41 cups intended for the winner of the European Supercup, this trophy was won by Pro Recco players the most times - 9. The last three were theirs after all (2021, 2022 and 2023).
Second on this success scale is Ferencvaros with 4 trophies, and in third place is exactly one Croatian club - Zagreb's Mladost with 3 cups. More precisely, the youngsters share third place with CSKA Moscow.
Except Mladosta, which won the continental Super Cup in 1976, 1990 and 1996; two more Croatian clubs can boast of this trophy. These are Jug from Dubrovnik with 2 titles (2006 and 2016), and POŠK from Split once (1984).
