Euro Cup 2014-2015 Qualification round 2

The Euro Cup tournament will get underway on Thursday in four groups across Europe including multiple Champions League qualification drop-outs. Without last year's finalists the teams will start their quest to succeed Russian champions Spartak Volgograd as winners this season. Finishing in the top 2 of the respective group is the objective for the the ambitious sides in order to reach the home-and-away based quarterfinals. Several favourites were drawn in different groups although in some cases interesting battles can be expected. One of them in group A where no less than 6 teams will play near Athens, Greece this weekend. Here, last year semifinalists Acquachiara, Montenegrin champions Jadran Herceg Novi and Russian runners-up Sintez Kazan will be joined by hosts Vouliagmeni, Dutch representative UZSC and German squad Esslingen. With just two spots for the next round available, it will be interesting to see who will survive.
In group B, played in the national pool of Malta, several underdogs face an excellent opportunity of getting into the quarterfinals. Surely among the favourites is French top side Montpellier while regional league member Mornar and 2009 Euro League winners Primorac will face revived Romanian top squad Steaua Bucharest in the battle for the pair of available quaterfinal spots. Hosts Valletta will be looking for an upset completing an 'open' group with possible exciting final scores as a result. 

The only domestic match-up is included in group C, played in Nice, France where the home side saw fellow countrymen from Dauphins Sète being drawn in their group. Behind French powerhouses Marseille and Montpellier these two teams are among those battling for 3rd or 4th place in France and this weekend will meet once more. Experienced Italian squad Posillipo, semifinalist in last year's Euro Cup edition, can be considered favourites after a dissapointing Champions League qualification campaign. White Sharks Hannover are the outsiders while Kinef Kirishi, with Montenegrin national team member centre-forward Sasa Misic as their offensive leader, is the unknown force but could surprise friend and foe. 

Home side Savona enjoys a favourite role in group D this weekend. The Italian squad hosts several outsiders and, on paper, should be able to stay unbeaten in the four matches to come. It's likely to be objective of the team that gained 6 points in 4 rounds of domestic league action so far. Main other contenders include German Champions League dropout Waspo Hannover who have their eyes on a good result in the Euro Cup after downing Spartak Volgograd out of European contention in a tight Champions League qualification group A, hosted by the Germans two weeks ago. A young Serbian side (Vojvodina) will be able to test theirselves and gain valuable international experience while Georgian champions Ligamus Tbilisi, knocked out of the opening round of the Champions League, will exploit their chances in the 2nd tier Euro Cup competition. Russians Dynamo Astrakhan are the outsiders here. 

Group A in Athens 

Thursday 30 October

16.00: UZSC (NED) vs. Sintez Kazan (RUS)
17.30: Carpisa Yamamay Acquachiara (ITA) vs. Jadran Herceg Novi (MNE)
19.00: Vouliagmeni NC (GRE) vs. SSV Esslingen (GER)

Friday 31 October

16.00: Jadran Herceg Novi vs. Sintez Kazan
17.30: SSV Esslingen vs. UZSC
19.00: Vouliagmeni NC vs. Carpisa Yamamay Acquachiara

Saturday 1 November

09.30: Jadran Herceg Novi vs. SSV Esslingen
11.00: Vouliagmeni NC vs. UZSC
12.30: Sintez Kazan vs. Carpisa Yamamay Acquachiara

17.00: UZSC vs. Jadran Herceg Novi
18.30: Vouliagmeni NC vs. Sintez Kazan
20.00: Carpisa Yamamay Acquachiara vs. SSV Esslingen

Sunday 2 November

09.30: UZSC vs. Carpisa Yamamay Acquachiara
11.00: SSV Esslingen vs. Sintez Kazan
12.30: Vouliagmeni NC vs. Jadran Herceg Novi

Group B in Gzira

Thursday 30 October

17.30: Mornar BS (CRO) vs. Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
18.45: Valletta (MLT) vs. VK Primorac Kotor (MNE)

Friday 31 October

10.30: Montpellier Waterpolo (FRA) vs. Mornar BS
11.45: Steaua Bucharest vs. VK Primorac Kotor

17.30: Montpellier Waterpolo vs. Valletta
18.45: Mornar BS vs. VK Primorac Kotor

Saturday 1 November

17.30: Valletta vs. Mornar BS
18.45: Steaua Bucharest vs. Montpellier Waterpolo

Sunday 2 November

09.15: VK Primorac Kotor vs. Montpellier Waterpolo
10.30: Valletta vs. Steaua Bucharest

Group C in Nice

Thursday 30 October

18.00: Kinef Kirishi (RUS) vs. White Sharks Hannover (GER)
19.30: Olympic Nice (FRA) vs. Dauphins Sète (FRA)

Friday 31 October

10.00: White Sharks Hannover vs. Dauphins Sète
11.30: C.N. Posillipo (ITA) vs. Kinef Kirishi

18.00: C.N. Posillipo vs. White Sharks Hannover
19.30: Olympic Nice vs. Kinef Kirishi

Saturday 1 November

17.30: Olympic Nice vs. C.N. Posillipo
19.00: Dauphins Sète vs. Kinef Kirishi

Sunday 2 November

10.00: Dauphins Sète vs. C.N. Posillipo
11.30: Olympic Nice vs. White Sharks Hannover

Group D in Savona

Thursday 30 October

19.30: Carisa R.N. Savona (ITA) vs. Dynamo Astrakhan (RUS)
21.00: Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) vs. Ligamus Tbilisi (GEO)

Friday 31 October

10.00: Ligamus Tbilisi vs. Vojvodina Novi Sad (SRB)
11.30: Dynamo Astrakhan vs. Waspo 98 Hannover

19.30: Carisa R.N. Savona vs. Vojvodina Novi Sad
21.00: Dynamo Astrakhan vs. Ligamus Tbilisi

Saturday 1 November

18.00: Carisa R.N. Savona vs. Waspo 98 Hannover
19.30: Dynamo Astrakhan vs. Vojvodina Novi Sad

Sunday 2 November

09.30: Vojvodina Novi Sad vs. Waspo 98 Hannover
11.00: Carisa R.N. Savona vs. Ligamus Tbilisi

N.b.: times mentioned are local time.
Top 2 of each group advances to quarterfinals.
Season dates

Quarterfinals
29 November, 2014 - leg 1
17 December, 2014 - leg 2

Semifinals
11 February, 2015 - leg 1
4 March, 2015 - leg 2

Finals
28 March, 2015 - leg 1
11 April, 2015 - leg 2