LEN Champions League explained

LEN Champions League
Current Season:	2023–24 LEN Champions League
Formerly:	European Cup Euroleague
Sport:	Water polo
Levels:	1st Tier (Europe)
Teams:	24 (preliminary stage) 16 (group stage)
Continent:	Europe
Country:	LEN members
Most Champs:	Pro Recco (11 titles)
Website:	championsleague.len.eu
President:	Paolo Barelli

The LEN Champions League is the top-tier European professional water polo club competition with teams from up to 18 countries. It is organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation.

The competition started in 1963 as European Cup. A change of name and format occurred in 1996, with the competition being renamed Champions League and the final four system being established as the format of choice, for the first time during the 1996–97 LEN Champions League. From 2003 to 2011 the competition was named LEN Euroleague (with the change of name being simply a re-branding) and from 2011 and on LEN Champions League, its current name.

LEN Champions League is the most popular water polo league in the European continent. It has been won by 24 clubs, 10 of which have won the title more than once. The most successful club in the competition is Pro Recco, with eleven titles. The current European champion is Ferencváros, who won their second title after defeating Pro Recco in the 2023–24 LEN Champions League Final in Valletta.

History

Names of the competition

1963–1996: European Cup
1996–2003: Champions League
2003–2011: LEN Euroleague
2011–present: LEN Champions League

Title holders

1963–64 Partizan
1964–65 Pro Recco
1965–66 Partizan
1966–67 Partizan
1967–68 Mladost
1968–69 Mladost
1969–70 Mladost
1970–71 Partizan
1971–72 Mladost
1972–73 OSC Budapest
1973–74 MGU Moscow
1974–75 Partizan
1975–76 Partizan
1976–77 CSK VMF Moscow
1977–78 Canottieri Napoli
1978–79 OSC Budapest
1979–80 Vasas
1980–81 Jug Dubrovnik
1981–82 Barcelona
1982–83 Spandau 04
1983–84 Stefanel Recco
1984–85 Vasas
1985–86 Spandau 04
1986–87 Spandau 04
1987–88 Sisley Pescara
1988–89 Spandau 04
1989–90 Mladost
1990–91 Mladost
1991–92 Jadran Split
1992–93 Jadran Split
1993–94 Újpest
1994–95 Catalunya
1995–96 Mladost
1996–97 Posillipo
1997–98 Posillipo
1998–99 POŠK
1999–00 Bečej
2000–01 Jug Dubrovnik
2001–02 Olympiacos
2002–03 Pro Recco
2003–04 Honvéd
2004–05 Posillipo
2005–06 Jug Dubrovnik
2006–07 Pro Recco
2007–08 Pro Recco
2008–09 Primorac Kotor
2009–10 Pro Recco
2010–11 Partizan
2011–12 Pro Recco
2012–13 Crvena zvezda
2013–14 Atlètic-Barceloneta
2014–15 Pro Recco
2015–16 Jug Dubrovnik
2016–17 Szolnok
2017–18 Olympiacos
2018–19 Ferencváros
2019–20 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Pro Recco
2021–22 Pro Recco
2022–23 Pro Recco
2023–24 Ferencváros

Finals

Final Four
Year	Final			Semi-finalists
Year	width=15%	Champion	width=10%	Score	width=15%	Runner-up	width=15%	Third place	width=15%	Fourth place
1963–64	Partizan	4–3	Dynamo Moscow	Dynamo Magdeburg	ASC Duisburg
1964–65	Pro Recco	1–0	Partizan	Dynamo Magdeburg	CSK VMF Moscow
1965–66	Partizan	8–7 (5–3 / 3–4)	Dynamo Magdeburg	Pro Recco	CSK VMF Moscow
1966–67	Partizan	10–8 (5–3 / 1–2 / 4–3)	Pro Recco	Dynamo Magdeburg	Dinamo București
1967–68	Mladost	8–6 (4–2 / 4–4)	Dinamo București	CSK VMF Moscow	Pro Recco
1968–69	Mladost	11–7 (7–3 / 4–4)	Dynamo Moscow	Dynamo Magdeburg	Partizan
1969–70	Mladost	7–6 (5–3 / 2–3)	Pro Recco	Barcelona	OSC Budapest
1970–71	Partizan	4–4	Mladost	Dynamo Moscow	Stockholm
1971–72	Mladost	4–2	Pro Recco	Dynamo Moscow	De Robben
1972–73	OSC Budapest	5–4	Partizan	CSK VMF Moscow	Dinamo București
1973–74	MGU Moscow	4–3	OSC Budapest	Partizan	Canottieri Napoli
1974–75	Partizan	6–2	OSC Budapest	Dinamo București	De Robben
1975–76	Partizan	6–5	Vasas	Canottieri Napoli	De Robben
1976–77	CSK VMF Moscow	7–5	Zian	Würzburg 05	Partizan
1977–78	Canottieri Napoli	5–5	CSK VMF Moscow	Partizan	Würzburg 05
1978–79	OSC Budapest	5–2	Montjuïc	Würzburg 05	Pro Recco
1979–80	Vasas	9–7	Partizan	Spandau 04	Montjuïc
1980–81	Jug Dubrovnik	6–4	Spandau 04	Vasas	Ethnikos Piraeus
1981–82	Barcelona	12–11	Spandau 04	Vasas	Alphen
1982–83	Spandau 04	17–16 (7–10 / 10–6)	Dynamo Alma-Ata	Vasas	Pro Recco
1983–84	Pro Recco	16–15 (8–10 / 8–5)	Alphen	Jug Dubrovnik	Spandau 04
1984–85	Vasas	21–16 (11–11 / 10–5)	CSK VMF Moscow	Spandau 04	Partizan
1985–86	Spandau 04	14–13 (7–9 / 7–4)	BVSC	Montjuïc	Jug Dubrovnik
1986–87	Spandau 04	17–13 (10–5 / 7–8)	Dynamo Moscow	Primorac Kotor	Újpest
1987–88	Pescara	21–19 (12–10 / 9–9)	Spandau 04	Dinamo București	Partizan
1988–89	Spandau 04	22–21 (11–10 / 11–11)	Catalunya	Partizan	Ferencváros
1989–90	Mladost	20–19 (9–10 / 11–9)	Spandau 04	Vasas	CSK VMF Moscow
1990–91	Mladost	21–17 (10–7 / 11–10)	Canottieri Napoli	CSK VMF Moscow	Spandau 04
1991–92	Jadran Split	21–20 (10–12 / 11–8)	Savona	Polar Bears Ede	Spandau 04
1992–93	Jadran Split	13–12 (7–8 / 6–4)	Mladost	Olympic Nice	Polar Bears Ede
1993–94	Újpest	21–17 (10–6 / 11–11)	Catalunya	Posillipo	Jadran Split
1994–95	Catalunya	15–13 (7–6 / 8–7)	Újpest	Mladost	Spandau 04
1995–96	Mladost	13–10 (7–4 / 6–6)	Újpest	Barcelona	Posillipo
1996–97	Posillipo	10–7	Mladost	Barcelona	Bečej
1997–98	Posillipo	8–6	Pescara	Mladost	Spartak Volgograd
1998–99	POŠK	8–7	Bečej	Dynamo Moscow	Posillipo
1999–00	Bečej	11–8	Mladost	BVSC	POŠK
2000–01	Jug Dubrovnik	8–7	Olympiacos	Posillipo	Bečej
2001–02	Olympiacos	9–7	Honvéd	Posillipo	Jug Dubrovnik
2002–03	Pro Recco	9–4	Honvéd	Mladost	Spandau 04
2003–04	Honvéd	7–6	Jadran Herceg Novi	Primorje	Shturm 2002
2004–05	Posillipo	9–8	Honvéd	Pro Recco	Jug Dubrovnik
2005–06	Jug Dubrovnik	9–7	Pro Recco	Posillipo	Savona
2006–07	Pro Recco	9–8	Jug Dubrovnik	Partizan	Olympiacos
2007–08	Pro Recco	13–12	Jug Dubrovnik	Vasas	Mladost
2008–09	Primorac Kotor	8–7	Pro Recco	Jug Dubrovnik	Mladost
2009–10	Pro Recco	9–3	Primorac Kotor	Partizan	Jug Dubrovnik
2010–11	Partizan	11–7	Pro Recco	Mladost	Budva
2011–12	Pro Recco	11–8	Primorje	Mladost	Vasas
2012–13	Crvena zvezda	8–7	Jug Dubrovnik	Atlètic-Barceloneta	Partizan
2013–14	Atlètic-Barceloneta	7–6	Radnički Kragujevac	Primorje	Partizan
2014–15	Pro Recco	8–7	Primorje	Atlètic-Barceloneta	Jug Dubrovnik
2015–16	Jug Dubrovnik	6–4	Olympiacos	Szolnok	Pro Recco
2016–17	Szolnok	10–5	Jug Dubrovnik	Pro Recco	Eger
2017–18	Olympiacos	9–7	Pro Recco	Atlètic-Barceloneta	Jug Dubrovnik
2018–19	Ferencváros	10–10 (PSO: 4–3)	Olympiacos	Pro Recco	Atlètic-Barceloneta
2019–20	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
2020–21	Pro Recco	9–6	Ferencváros	AN Brescia	Atlètic-Barceloneta
2021–22	Pro Recco	13–13 (PSO: 4–3)	Novi Beograd	Ferencváros	AN Brescia
2022–23	Pro Recco	14–11	Novi Beograd	Atlètic-Barceloneta	NC Vouliagmeni
2023–24	Ferencváros	12–11	Pro Recco	Olympiacos	Novi Beograd

Titles by club

See main article: European Cup, Euroleague and LEN Champions League records and statistics.

width=3%	Rank	width=15%	Club	width=9%	Titles	width=9%	Runner-up	width=64%	Champion years
align=center	1.	Pro Recco	align=center	11	align=center	8	1964–65, 1983–84, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
align=center	2.	Mladost	align=center	7	align=center	4	1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96
align=center	3.	Partizan	align=center	7	align=center	3	1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 2010–11
align=center	4.	Jug Dubrovnik	align=center	4	align=center	4	1980–81, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2015–16
align=center	–	Spandau 04	align=center	4	align=center	4	1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89
align=center	6.	Posillipo	align=center	3	align=center		1996–97, 1997–98, 2004–05
align=center	7.	Olympiacos	align=center	2	align=center	3	2001–02, 2017–18
align=center	8.	OSC Budapest	align=center	2	align=center	2	1972–73, 1978–79
align=center	9.	Vasas	align=center	2	align=center	1	1979–80, 1984–85
align=center	–	Ferencváros	align=center	2	align=center	1	2018–19, 2023–24
align=center	11.	Jadran Split	align=center	2	align=center		1991–92, 1992–93
align=center	12.	Honvéd	align=center	1	align=center	3	2003–04
align=center	13.	CSK VMF Moscow	align=center	1	align=center	2	1976–77
align=center	–	Újpest	align=center	1	align=center	2	1993–94
align=center	–	Catalunya	align=center	1	align=center	2	1994–95
align=center	16.	Canottieri Napoli	align=center	1	align=center	1	1977–78
align=center	–	Pescara	align=center	1	align=center	1	1987–88
align=center	–	Bečej	align=center	1	align=center	1	1999–00
align=center	–	Primorac Kotor	align=center	1	align=center	1	2008–09
align=center	20.	MGU Moscow	align=center	1	align=center		1973–74
align=center	–	Barcelona	align=center	1	align=center		1981–82
align=center	–	POŠK	align=center	1	align=center		1998–99
align=center	–	Crvena zvezda	align=center	1	align=center		2012–13
align=center	–	Barceloneta	align=center	1	align=center		2013–14
align=center	–	Szolnok	align=center	1	align=center		2016–17
align=center	26.	Dynamo Moscow	align=center		align=center	3
align=center	27.	Primorje	align=center		align=center	2
align=center	–	Novi Beograd	align=center		align=center	2
align=center	29.	Dynamo Magdeburg	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Dinamo București	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Zian	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Montjuïc	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Dynamo Alma-Ata	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Alphen	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	BVSC	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Savona	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Jadran Herceg Novi	align=center		align=center	1
align=center	–	Radnički Kragujevac	align=center		align=center	1

Titles by nation

width=5%	Rank	width=25%	Country	width=10%	Titles	width=10%	Runners-up	width=10%	CL winning clubs
align=center	1.	Italy	align=center	16	align=center	11	align=center	4
align=center	2.	Yugoslavia	align=center	14	align=center	6	align=center	4
align=center	3.	Hungary	align=center	9	align=center	10	align=center	6
align=center	4.	Croatia	align=center	7	align=center	9	align=center	3
align=center	5.	Germany	align=center	4	align=center	4	align=center	1
align=center	6.	Spain	align=center	3	align=center	3	align=center	3
align=center	7.	Soviet Union	align=center	2	align=center	6	align=center	2
align=center	8.	Greece	align=center	2	align=center	3	align=center	1
align=center	9.	Serbia	align=center	2	align=center	3	align=center	2
align=center	10.	Montenegro	align=center	1	align=center	1	align=center	1
align=center	11.	Netherlands	align=center		align=center	2	align=center
align=center	12.	East Germany	align=center		align=center	1	align=center
align=center		Romania	align=center		align=center	1	align=center

Results until the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 and the self-determination of all countries unless the union of Serbia and Montenegro, named until 2003 as FR YUgoslavia, and broke up in 2006. Clubs from present day Serbia won the title 7 times and were runners-up additional 4 times, clubs from present day Croatia won the title 7 and were runners-up one time, clubs from present day Montenegro were runners-up one time.

and . Note, Croatian record counting since 1991, while Serbian and Montenegrin counting since 2006, only.

The results of West Germany counted with those of Germany.

Results until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Clubs from present day Russia won the title 2 times and were runners-up additional 5 times, clubs from present day Kazakhstan were runners-up once time.

Records

Pro Recco has been the most successful club, having won the competition a record 11 times.
Mladost (1968, 1969, 1970) and Pro Recco (2021, 2022, 2023) are the only two clubs to have won the competition three times in a row.
Partizan and Pro Recco are the only two clubs to have won the European Championship twice in a row for two times (1966, 1967 & 1975, 1976) and (2007, 2008 & 2021, 2022)
Spandau 04 (1986, 1987), Mladost (1990, 1991), Jadran Split (1992, 1993) and Posillipo (1997, 1998) are the other five teams to have won the European Championship twice in a row, only for one time.
Most finals in a row: 7 Pro Recco (2006-2012), 5 Mladost (1968-1972) & Spandau 04 (1986-1990).

Most Titles

https://total-waterpolo.com/champions-league-history-interesting-facts-and-heroes-of-competition/

Players

bold - active players

Player	Titles	Clubs
Player	Titles		List
	7	1	Pro Recco 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023
	6	1	Partizan 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976
	6	2	Posillipo 2005, Pro Recco 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015
Aaron Younger	5	3	Szolnok 2017, Ferencvaros 2019, Pro Recco 2021, 2022, 2023
	5	2	Partizan 1964, Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	5	1	Partizan 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975
	5	2	Posillipo 1998, Pro Recco 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012
	5	2	Ujpest 1994, Pro Recco 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012
	5	1	Pro Recco 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015
Andrija Prlainović	5	4	Partizan 2011, Pro Recco 2012, 2015, Crvena Zvezda 2013, Szolnok 2017
Aleksandar Ivović	5	1	Pro Recco 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023
	5	2	Pro Recco 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, Ferencváros 2019
	5	1	Partizan 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976
Duško Pijetlović	4	3	Partizan 2011, Pro Recco 2012, 2015, Crvena Zvezda 2013
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
Francesco Di Fulvio	4	1	Pro Recco 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023
Matteo Aicardi	4	1	Pro Recco 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023
/ Gonzalo Echenique	4	2	Barceloneta 2014, Pro Recco 2021, 2022, 2023
	4	1	Spandau04 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989
	4	1	Spandau04 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989
	4	1	Spandau04 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989
	4	1	Partizan 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971
	4	1	Partizan 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971
	4	1	Partizan 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971

Titles with 3 clubs: Felipe Perrone, Dusan Mandic

Coaches

Coach	Titles	Clubs
Coach	Titles		List
	6	1	Patizan 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976
	5	2	Posillipo 2005, Pro Recco 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012
	4	1	Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972
	3	1	Spandau04 1982, 1985, 1986

As Player and Coach combined

Player/Coach	Titles	as Player		as Coach
Player/Coach	Titles		List		List
	7	2	Posillipo 1997, 1998	5	Posillipo 2005, Pro Recco 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012
	6	5	Partizan 1964, Mladost 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972	1	Mladost 1996
	5	3	Mladost 1990, 1991, Catalunya 1995	2	Partizan 2011, Pro Recco 2015
	5	3	Partizan 1971, 1975, 1976	2	Mladost 1990, 1991
	4	3	Mladost 1967, 1968, 1969	1	Pescara 1988
	3	1	Canottieri Naples 1978	2	Posilllipo 1997, 1998
	3	1	Pro Recco 2012	2	Pro Recco 2022, 2023

Two players were players and coaches at the same time in the winning teams. Boris Čukvas won three titles in a dual role. He was a player and Partizan's coach during the seasons in which the Belgrade-based club won its first three titles (1963/64, 1965/66 and 1966/67). Eraldo Pizzo was a player and Pro Recco's coach in the season 1964/65.

Titles (2) as a player and a coach: Veselin Đuho, Marco Baldineti, Vjekoslav Kobeščak.

Awards

Most valuable player Final Tournament

2010 – Vanja Udovičić
2011 – Tamás Kásás
2012 – Denes Varga
2013 – Andrija Prlainovic
2014 – Albert Español
2015 – Felipe Perrone
2016 – Felipe Perrone
2017 – Andrija Prlainovic
2018 – Josip Pavic
2019 – Denes Varga
2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 – Dušan Mandić
2022 – Giacomo Cannella
2023 – Gergő Zalánki
2024 – Dušan Mandić

Top Scorer by Season

2012–13 – Felipe Perrone 31 goals
2013–14 – Filip Filipović 51 goals
2014–15 – Sandro Sukno 34 goals
2015–16 – Denes Varga 33 goals
2016–17 – Felipe Perrone 42 goals
2017–18 – Darko Brguljan 42 goals
2018–19 – Kostas Genidounias 42 goals
2019–20 Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 – Angelos Vlachopoulos 41 goals
2021–22 – Gergő Zalánki 42 goals
2022–23 – Alvaro Granados 46 goals
2023–24 – Alvaro Granados 39 goals

External links

- LEN Champions League at LEN