Ahead of Wednesday night’s Super Cup final in Budapest, the captains and coaches of FTC Telekom and Pro Recco, plus Hungarian Water Polo Federation President Norbert Madaras, and European Aquatics President Antonio Silva, spoke to the assembled media at a press conference held in the Hungarian capital.
2025/26 Super Cup Men
Wednesday 8th October
Budapest (local time shown)
20:00: FTC Telekom (HUN ) v Pro Recco (ITA)
The press conference room was just as packed as the Komjádi Pool is going to be on Wednesday evening when Champions League winners FTC-Telekom and Euro Cup victors Pro Recco clash for the men’s Super Cup title.
‘This is the first and really important final of the season, to be played in an amazing city that has so much love for water polo,’ European Aquatics President Antonio Silva said in his opening speech. ‘The two teams recently had two great matches in New York and I’m sure this week’s final is going to be an even more amazing promotion of water polo.’
Norbert Madaras, EA Bureau Member and President of the Hungarian Water Polo Federation, added that Budapest has a proud and rich history of hosting outstanding and memorable aquatic events, consistently upholding the highest standards – and the final on Wednesday will be no exception.
Mr Madaras added that the game will be extra special for him as he spent the greater part of his senior career with the two clubs clashing for the trophy, and the only trophy he claimed with both sides was the Super Cup (he won four with Pro Recco and one with FTC).
Recco coach Sandro Sukno insisted that ‘this is going to be one of the most exciting Super Cup finals in the last 10 years. We have huge respect for FTC, who have achieved outstanding results and won every trophy. But I believe in my guys.’
Asked if the battles in New York had any relevance, Sukno responded, ‘Playing for a trophy is completely different from playing two official matches in New York. Also, we have spent a few more weeks together since then, and I think the quality of our game has got better and I hope we can show that tomorrow.’
Ferencvaros coach Balazs Nyeki also told the assembled media that this final will be different. ‘The intensity and toughness of those matches in New York were anything but surprising. When great champions clash, everyone wants to win by all means. Still, no one wanted to show their real game, or how they will play against the other when a trophy is at stake.
‘At the beginning of the season, rebuilding the team’s game was our primary target and the American tour served that purpose perfectly, but I agree with Sandro that this coming match will be absolutely different.’
The game can happen as Recco opted to bypass the Champions League last season and only entered the Euro Cup after overcoming some financial uncertainty.
‘Last year we had to rebuild something,’ said Recco captain Francesco di Fulvio. ‘We earned the right to be here and the right to face the best team in Europe, and we will try to win in one of the continent’s most iconic pools.’
Fradi captain Soma Vogel, who is set to return from an injury-hit summer, mentioned that playing with Recco always produces extremes in all aspects.
‘Before the New York tour, we had joint training camps, also games in earlier seasons, and the intensity has always been the same, and incomparable to any other clash,’ said Vogel. ‘These are two clubs where the players want to show their very best every single day and this is just multiplied when we face off against each other.’
Watch the Super Cup final live on European Aquatics TV
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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics
