Malta and Turkey, 15th and 16th in the latest European Water Polo Championships held in Belgrade, were the only top seeds to not claim victories in the first leg of the final play-off that will unveil the final eight teams that will take part in the men’s tournament of the 33rd LEN European Water Polo Championships Barcelona 2018.

The Maltese squad suffered a narrow defeat against Belarus in Minsk (8-7), but will have a chance to stage a comeback next Saturday in Gzira. The Turks will also have everything on their side to claim a triumph in Istanbul after today’s draw against Ukraine.

Except for Malta and Turkey, the teams ranked 9th to 16th in Belgrade proved their superiority with clear victories. The Netherlands, for instance, took the game by 21 goals against Lithuania, Romania by 15 against the Czech Republic and Germany by 19 in Poznan (Poland).

All results:

The Netherlands-Lithuania              28-7

Portugal-Slovakia                            4-16

Belarus-Malta                                  8-7

Poland-Germany                             2-21

Romania-Czech Republic               20-5

Georgia-Israel                                 12-1

Ukraine-Turkey                                8-8

France-Switzerland                         18-1

Women’s category:

France-Switzerland                         19-1

All second leg clashes will be held on March 3rd. The eight winners will seal their pass to Barcelona 2018. The squads that have already qualified for the final are: Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Greece and Spain.

The second match between France and Switzerland in the women’s category will also take place on March 3rd, along with the other five women’s play-offs.

The Bernat Picornell Pool, scene of the 33rd LEN European Water Polo Championships Barcelona 2018, shows a new face after undergoing a major renovation. The stands of the legendary facility have been updated to keep up with the needs of such a world-class event. The damages of that part of the pool, that includes the area where representatives from the teams, authorities and members of the press will be seated, have been repaired.

The improvement has also affected the stairs, which present now a more modern aspect, are wider and have been equipped with a handrail to ensure visitor safety. Safety in the upper part of the stands has also been improved.

The pool, with a capacity of 4.100 viewers, will host 92 matches from July 14th to 28.

The facilities are moreover wheelchair accessible, which means every supporter will be able to easily access their seats.

The renovation of the stands, which were in very poor shape, has been financed by the Barcelona City Council, one of the major public entities backing the event.

Currently, the facility has over 6.500 paying members who can access not only the pool area but also the gym as well as other services. In July, and coinciding with the championships, the facility will be closed to the members.