Wikipedia

2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League

The 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League is the 36th edition of the water polo competition organised by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). This is the first season under the new changes made by LEN.[1] The defending champions are Astralpool Sabadell.

2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League
Barcelona hosted the Final four.
LeagueLEN Women's Champions League
SportWater polo
Duration21 September 2023 – 21 April 2024
Games92
Teams24 (from 7 countries)
Finals championsSpain Astralpool Sabadell (7th title)
  Runners-upGreece Olympiacos Piraeus
LEN Women's Champions League seasons

The Spanish side successfully defended their title with a win against Olympiacos Piraeus in the final.[2][3]

Format

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This season, the format has undergone some changes. After one qualification round (instead of two), sixteen teams will qualify for the main round. For the first time ever, the groups in the main round are held in a home and away format. After the main round, the four groups winners will compete in the final four to decide the winners of the LEN Women's Champions League.[4]

Rankings

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Starting this season, LEN also started a club rankings. Countries inside the top 6 of the new LEN women's club rankings are eligible to enter 5 clubs into the Champions League.[4][5] While countries outside the top 6 can enter their league champion into either the Champions League or Challenger Cup.

Rank[5] Association Points Teams
1 Spain Spain 105,597.5 5
2 Greece Greece 91,125
3 Hungary Hungary 84,842.5
4 Italy Italy 76,410 4
5 France France 24,127.5 3
6 Russia Russia 53.38 0
7 Netherlands Netherlands 49.300 1
8 Slovakia Slovakia 5,145 0
9 Germany Germany 4,620 1
9 Portugal Portugal 4,620 0
11 Malta Malta 3,940
12 Israel Israel 2,500
13 Croatia Croatia 1,012.5

Teams

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Alongside the new changes, LEN increased the number of clubs a country can enter, from 4 to 5. German representative, Spandau 04, was the only club outside the top 6 who decided to enter, starting in the qualifiers. While on the other hand, despite being in the top 6, Russia was banned and Netherlands took the sixth-place spot. All other clubs and countries below the top six entered the 2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup.

Main round
Greece Olympiacos Piraeus (1st) Hungary ZF Eger (1st) Italy Ekipe Orizzonte (1st) Spain Astralpool Sabadell CL (1st)
Qualification round
France Lille UC (1st) France Mulhouse WP (2nd) France Grand Nancy AC (3rd) Germany Spandau 04 (1st)
Greece NO Vouliagmeni (2hd) Greece Ethnikos Piraeus (3rd) Greece ANC Glyfada (4th) Greece Alimos NAC Betsson (5th)
Hungary Dunaújváros (2nd) Hungary FTC Telekom (3rd) Hungary UVSE Budapest (4th) Hungary BVSC-Zugló (5th)
Italy SIS Roma (2nd) Italy Antenore Plebiscito Padova (3rd) Italy Pallanuoto Trieste (4th) Netherlands ZV De Zaan (1st)
Spain Assolim CN Mataró (2nd) Spain CN Sant Andreu (3rd) Spain CE Mediterrani (4th) Spain CN Terrassa (5th)

Round and draw dates

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Schedule

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PhaseRoundRound date[6][7]
Qualification round21–24 September 2023
Main roundMatchday 17–8 October 2023
Matchday 221 October 2023
Matchday 34 November 2023
Matchday 425 November 2023
Matchday 59 March 2024
Matchday 623 March 2024
Final fourSemifinals20 April 2024
Final21 April 2024

Draw

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The draw was on 10 August 2023.[8] The seeding was decided by the new LEN club rankings.[9] H indicates which club is hosting the groups.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5

Hungary Dunaújváros
Spain Assolim CN Mataró (H)
Hungary UVSE Budapest (H)
Italy Antenore Plebiscito Padova

Greece NO Vouliagmeni
Spain CE Mediterrani
Italy SIS Roma (H)
Hungary FTC Telekom

Greece ANC Glyfada
Greece Ethnikos Piraeus
Spain CN Terrassa
France Lille UC

Hungary BVSC-Zugló
Spain CN Sant Andreu
Germany Spandau 04
France Mulhouse WP (H)

Netherlands ZV De Zaan
France Grand Nancy AC
Greece Alimos NAC Betsson
Italy Pallanuoto Trieste

Qualification round

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In the qualification round, teams play in a round robin format. The top 3 in every group makes the main round, while the fourth and fifth placed teams in the groups drop down to the 2023–24 LEN Women's Euro Cup group stage.[10][11]

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Hungary UVSE Greece ALI Hungary FTC Greece GLY Germany SPA
1 Hungary UVSE Budapest (H) 4 4 0 0 0 59 34 +25 12 Main round — 12–7 11–9 21–11 15–7
2 Greece Alimos NAC Betsson 4 3 0 0 1 51 43 +8 9 — — — — —
3 Hungary FTC Telekom 4 2 0 0 2 55 40 +15 6 — 13–14 — 17–8 16–7
4 Greece ANC Glyfada 4 1 0 0 3 37 63 −26 3 Euro Cup — 9–19 — — 9–6
5 Germany Spandau 04 4 0 0 0 4 29 51 −22 0 — 9–11 — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification France MUL Greece ETH Spain MED Italy TRI Italy PAD
1 France Mulhouse WP (H) 4 4 0 0 0 48 37 +11 12 Main round — 13–10 14–12 10–9 11–6
2 Greece Ethnikos Piraeus 4 2 1 0 1 44 42 +2 8 — — 17–15[a] 12–9 9–7
3 Spain CE Mediterrani 4 1 0 2 1 55 50 +5 5 — — — 17–10 15–17[b]
4 Italy Pallanuoto Trieste 4 1 0 0 3 42 51 −9 3 Euro Cup — — — — —
5 Italy Antenore Plebiscito Padova 4 0 1 0 3 38 47 −9 2 — — — 12–14 —
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. ↑ Match ended 13–13, Ethnikos Piraeus won 4–2 on penalties
  2. ↑ Match ended 13–13, Antenore Plebiscito Padova won 4–2 on penalties

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain MAT Greece VOU Spain TER Hungary BVSC Netherlands ZAAN
1 Spain Assolim CN Mataró (H) 4 4 0 0 0 68 36 +32 12 Main round — 15–9 20–7 18–9 15–11
2 Greece NO Vouliagmeni 4 3 0 0 1 46 37 +9 9 — — 11–6 12–8 14–8
3 Spain CN Terrassa 4 2 0 0 2 42 57 −15 6 — — — — 16–15
4 Hungary BVSC-Zugló 4 0 1 0 3 39 54 −15 2 Euro Cup — — 11–13 — 16–14[a]
5 Netherlands ZV De Zaan 4 0 0 1 3 45 56 −11 1 — — — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. ↑ Match ended 11–11, BVSC-Zugló won 5–3 on penalties

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain SAN Italy ROM Hungary DUN France LIL France NAN
1 Spain CN Sant Andreu 4 4 0 0 0 62 32 +30 12 Main round — — — — 22–3
2 Italy SIS Roma (H) 4 3 0 0 1 48 36 +12 9 9–15 — 9–8 9–8 21–5
3 Hungary Dunaújváros 4 1 1 0 2 51 36 +15 5 9–11 — — — 24–6
4 France Lille UC 4 1 0 1 2 50 42 +8 4 Euro Cup 11–14 — 10–13[a] — —
5 France Grand Nancy AC 4 0 0 0 4 23 88 −65 0 — — — 9–21 —
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. ↑ Match ended 10–10, Dunaújváros won 3–0 on penalties

Main round

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Location of teams of the 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League group stage.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B; Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.

The draw took place on 26 September 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.[12] The four group winners advance to the final four.

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 2 points for a penalty shootout win, 1 point for a penalty shootout loss, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:

  • Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  • Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  • Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  • Goal difference in all group matches;
  • Goals scored in all group matches.

This is the first time that this round is being held in a home and away format. Five countries are being represented, with Spain boasting the most clubs with five.

Location of Catalonia teams of the 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League Main Round.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B;
Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.

Seeding

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

Spain Astralpool Sabadell
Greece Olympiacos Piraeus
Italy Ekipe Orizzonte
Hungary ZF Eger

Hungary UVSE Budapest
France Mulhouse WP
Spain Assolim CN Mataró
Spain CN Sant Andreu

Greece Alimos NAC Betsson
Greece Ethnikos Piraeus
Greece NO Vouliagmeni
Italy SIS Roma

Hungary FTC Telekom
Spain CE Mediterrani
Spain CN Terrassa
Hungary Dunaújváros

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain SAN Spain TER Italy ORI Italy ROM
1 Spain CN Sant Andreu 6 5 1 0 0 75 57 +18 17 Final four — 15–9 13–9 10–9
2 Spain CN Terrassa 6 3 0 0 3 59 67 −8 9 6–11 — 10–8 13–10
3 Italy Ekipe Orizzonte 6 2 0 0 4 68 65 +3 6 10–11 15–9 — 16–11
4 Italy SIS Roma 6 1 0 1 4 63 76 −13 4 14–15[a] 8–12 11–10 —
Source: Report
  1. ↑ Match ended 10–10, CN Sant Andreu won 5–4 on penalties

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain SAB Greece ALI France MUL Hungary DUN
1 Spain Astralpool Sabadell 6 6 0 0 0 91 55 +36 18 Final four — 14–7 18–10 18–12
2 Greece Alimos NAC Betsson 6 3 0 0 3 69 76 −7 9 8–13 — 12–15 14–10
3 France Mulhouse WP 6 1 1 0 4 77 94 −17 5 10–19 13–16 — 18–16[a]
4 Hungary Dunaújváros 6 1 0 1 4 70 82 −12 4 8–9 11–12 13–11 —
Source: Report
  1. ↑ Match ended 15–15, Mulhouse WP won 3–1 on penalties

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain MAT Greece ETH Hungary FTC Hungary EGER
1 Spain Assolim CN Mataró 6 6 0 0 0 93 36 +57 18 Final four — 18–8 13–5 18–6
2 Greece Ethnikos Piraeus 6 2 0 1 3 67 83 −16 7 4–13 — 15–13 14–11
3 Hungary FTC Telekom 6 2 0 0 4 64 68 −4 6 8–13 12–11 — 18–7
4 Hungary ZF Eger 6 1 1 0 4 54 91 −37 5 5–18 16–15[a] 9–8 —
Source: Report
  1. ↑ Match ended 11–11, ZF Eger won 5–4 on penalties

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Greece OLY Greece VOU Hungary UVSE Spain MED
1 Greece Olympiacos Piraeus 6 6 0 0 0 84 47 +37 18 Final four — 12–7 15–8 21–7
2 Greece NO Vouliagmeni 6 3 0 0 3 62 65 −3 9[a] 9–14 — 13–11 14–9
3 Hungary UVSE Budapest 6 3 0 0 3 62 62 0 9[a] 6–7 9–8 — 10–7
4 Spain CE Mediterrani 6 0 0 0 6 55 89 −34 0 10–15 10–11 12–18 —
Source: Report
Notes:
  1. 1 2 NO Vouliagmeni 21–20 UVSE Budapest

Final four

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The Final four was held between 20 and 21 April 2024.[13] The draw was held in Barcelona on 26 March 2024.[14][15] On 12 April, the Nova Escullera pool in Barcelona was announced as the host.[16][17][18]

Bracket

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
20 April
 
 
Spain CN Sant Andreu9
 
21 April
 
Spain Astralpool Sabadell14
 
Spain Astralpool Sabadell16
 
20 April
 
Greece Olympiacos Piraeus10
 
Greece Olympiacos Piraeus16
 
 
Spain Assolim CN Mataró12
 
Third place
 
 
21 April
 
 
Spain CN Sant Andreu8
 
 
Spain Assolim CN Mataró7

Semi-finals

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20 April 2024
12:00		 Report CN Sant Andreu Spain 9–14 Spain Astralpool Sabadell Nova Escullera pool, Barcelona
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Michiel Zwart (NED)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 3–6, 3–2, 1–4
Pérez, Ruiz 3 Goals González 5
20 April 2024
14:00		 Report Olympiacos Piraeus Greece 16–12 Spain Assolim CN Mataró Nova Escullera pool, Barcelona
Referees:
Nora Debreceni (HUN), Boris Margeta (SLO)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 3–4, 6–2, 5–4
Elefteriadou 7 Goals Van de Kraats 3

Third place match

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21 April 2024
12:00		 Report CN Sant Andreu Spain 8–7 Spain Assolim CN Mataró Nova Escullera pool, Barcelona
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Michiel Zwart (NED)
Score by quarters: 1–2, 4–1, 1–2, 2–2
Ruiz 3 Goals Kestzthelyi 3

Final

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21 April 2024
14:00		 Report Astralpool Sabadell Spain 16–10 Greece Olympiacos Piraeus Nova Escullera pool, Barcelona
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Boris Margeta (SLO)
Score by quarters: 2–1, 5–3, 6–3, 3–3
Giustini 5 Goals Plevritou 3
2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League Champions
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
Seventh title

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Spencer-Boyce, James (June 2, 2023). "Changes to European competitions reinforced in Belgrade".
  2. ↑ "Sensational Sabadell storm to seventh Champions League title - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. April 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ "CAMPIONES D'EUROPA PER SETENA VEGADA!!".
  4. 1 2 "Big changes in European water polo club competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. June 2, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Women Clubs Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ↑ "Calendar 2023 - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. December 16, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Calendar 2024 - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. March 31, 2023.
  8. ↑ Curcic, Ivan (August 10, 2023). "Women's Champions League Qualifications: Hungarian derby in Budapest".
  9. ↑ "Women Club Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Women's club season kicks off with spectacles - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Mulhouse upsets Padova - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 22, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Draws for Group Stage in three cup competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 25, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Olympiacos aiming to spoil the Spanish party - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. April 19, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Water polo draw marathon set to commence in Barcelona - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. March 25, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Draw marathon sets up exciting showdowns - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. March 26, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Una altra cita amb la història de la Champions. L'Assolim busca regnar a Europa. - CN Mataró". www.cnmataro.cat. April 12, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Roda de premsa de presentació de la Final Four de la Champions - CN Mataró". www.cnmataro.cat. April 16, 2024.
  18. ↑ "CAP DE SETMANA DE CHAMPIONS FEMENINA".
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