On Tuesday evening, Jadran officially secured their spot in the round of 16 of the Eurocup by defeating their Split namesake, prior to the conclusion of the Champions League group stage.

Among the 16 teams vying for this prestigious club water polo title tonight, their perennial rival Primorac might also join them, as they prepare to host Panionios at 19:30 p.m. our time.

In the previous four rounds, the Kotor players notched three victories and only one defeat, which came against the Greek team at the “Zoran-Džimi Gopčević” pool (10:9). This sets the stage for a strong motive in the rematch.

If they secure a win tonight or if Ortiđa loses at home to Trieste, Zoran Maslovar’s team would claim one of the top two spots in Group D. Otherwise, a final showdown in Kotor against Ortiđa awaits, who they previously bested 14:9 in Sicily.

“This match is crucial for both Panionios and us in terms of advancing to the next stage. We know it will be incredibly tough to overcome a squad filled with former and current players from Greece and Montenegro. Two red cards in Trieste have left us short-handed for such an important contest,” noted Montenegrin water polo legend Drasko Brguljan.

Kotorani will be without Petar Ćetković and Đorđije Stanojević due to fouls committed in northern Italy, but the rest of the team is highly motivated to avenge their earlier loss to the Greeks.

In a previous match in Kotor, Novljanin Nikola Moskov starred by scoring five goals, while his fellow townsman Aleksa Ukropin also contributed two goals.

“We still have several players who haven’t participated in this season’s Eurocup. This is their opportunity to prove their capabilities at this level. If we capitalize on our chances and maintain the intense dedication and fighting spirit we’ve demonstrated so far, I believe we can surprise Athens,” Brguljan stated.

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