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Futsal Champions League - UEFA Futsal Champions League elite round starts Wednesday - News

UEFA Futsal Champions League elite round starts Wednesday

The four groups running between 23 and 26 November will decide Mays knockout finalists.

A meeting between former champions Benfica and Kairat Almaty is among the highlights in the UEFA Futsal Champions League elite round, running between 23 and 26 November.

The four group winners will progress to the finals on 4/5 and 6/7 May, with the hosts to be confirmed.

Group A: Sporting CP (POR), Uragan lvano-Frankivsk (UKR), Loznica-Grad 2018 (SRB), Citt di Eboli (ITA, hosts)

Group B: Mallorca Palma Futsal (ESP, hosts), Novo Vrijeme Makarska (CRO), Dobovec (SVN), Piast Gliwice (POL)

Group C: Benfica (POR),Luxol St. Andrews (MLT), Chrudim (CZE), Kairat Almaty (KAZ, hosts)

Group D: Barça (ESP, holders), Sporting Anderlecht Futsal (BEL), United Galati (ROU), Futsal Pula (CRO, hosts)

2022 final highlights: Bara 4-0 Sporting CP

Barça won their fourth title last season and hope to equal Inter FSs record tally of five.

Sporting CP lost the 2022 final but won in 2019 and 2021; they and Barça between them have shared the four titles since the 2018/19 rebranding from the UEFA Futsal Cup.

Kairat (2013 and 2015) and Benfica (2010) are also past champions.

Both Barça and Kairat hope to make the finals for a record tenth time.

Sportings João Matos is the new competition record holder for player appearances, having passed the old mark of 69 held by Rizvan Farzaliyev and Lcio.

Kairat are contesting their record 19th season in Europe, and have taken part in the elite round in all 16 editions that it has been a part of the competition (since 2006/07, other than 2020/21 when there was a straight knockout format throughout).

Kairat and Chrudim have previously been in the same elite round group five times: Kairat have won all five matches and topped the group on four of those occasions including with a dramatic comeback in Chrudim to win 5-4 in the 2007/08 mini-tournament decider and 6-5 in Serbia in 2012/13 on their way to their second title.

Kairat and Benfica have met four times before. Kairat won their 2020/21 quarter-final 6-2 in Croatia; Benfica won 5-3 in the 2019/20 elite round, though both teams were already out; Kairat won 5-3 on penalties to take bronze in 2010/11; and in the 2005/06 second qualifying round in Lisbon, they drew 3-3, a result that helped Kairat pip Benfica to the semi-finals.

Anderlecht previously entered as Halle-Gooik; they lost to Barça in last seasons elite round and the 2018/19 main round.

Croatia have two entrants for the first time (Novo Vrijeme Makarska and Pula), and both progressed from the same main round group.

Citt di Eboli, Loznica-Grad 2018, Mallorca Palma, Piast Gliwice and Pula are competing in their debut European seasons.

Luxol are the first team from Malta to reach the elite round.

United Galati are also in the elite round for the first time, though they did play in the one-off round of 16 in 2020/21.

No club from Czechia, Malta, Romania, Serbia or Ukraine have reached a final tournament under any format.

Croatias only previous finalists are MNK Split, who took part in the eight-team event of the inaugural 2001/02 edition and reached the semis.

No team from Slovenia have reached the semis, Dobovec having played in the one-off eight-team knockout finals of 2020/21, losing in the quarter-finals.

Similarly, Polands sole finalists were Clearex Chorzw, who exited in the group stage in 2001/02.

Ukraines Shakhtar Donetsk reached the semi-finals in 2005/06, when uniquely it was played over two legs.

Contenders: How they progressed from the main round

Path A group winners: Mallorca Palma Futsal (ESP, Group 1), Sporting CP (POR, 2), Barça (ESP, 3, holders), Benfica (POR, 4)

Path A group runners-up: Sporting Anderlecht Futsal (BEL, 1), Novo Vrijeme Makarska (CRO, 2),Luxol St. Andrews (MLT, 3), Uragan lvano-Frankivsk (UKR, 4)

Path A group third place: Kairat Almaty (KAZ, 1), Futsal Pula (CRO, 2), Dobovec (SVN, 3), United Galati (ROU, 4)

Path B group winners: Loznica-Grad 2018 (SRB, 5), Piast Gliwice (POL, 6), Citt di Eboli (ITA, 7), Chrudim (CZE, 8)

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