The Balearic islands of Palma and Jimbi Cartagena Costa Calida, hosts of the Champions Elite Round, already know their opponents | LNFS
Illes Balears Palma Futsal and Jimby Cartagena will host the UEFA Champions League Elite Round, which runs from November 26 to December 1. The draw divided the 16 teams that qualified from the main round into four groups that will determine the playoff finalists. The four group winners will advance to the finals on May 1/2 and May 4/3, with the host club yet to be confirmed.
Illes Balears Palma are champions of the last two seasons and will host for the third season in a row, and will also host Polish Bielsko-Balay, Kazakh futsal club Semey and futsal club Klun Lutzenek in Group D. This will be the fifth group stage, which will host the Balearic team after having played in the elite round for the last two years in Son Mua and in the main round last season and this year.
The rivals of Antonio Vadillo’s team will be the Polish record Bielsko-Biała, the Kazakh futsal club Semey and the Slovakian Klun Lutsenek. The coach of the Mallorcan club said that he was “happy because we are playing at home, that’s a plus.” However, the Andalusian coach warned that “this is an awkward group” and singled out one of his rivals: “Semey is one of the contenders to win this Champions League thanks to the investments made and the squad he has.”
For its part, Gimbi Cartagena Costa Calida made its debut this season in the tournament and managed to take the elite round in Group A. The current league champion will face United Galati from Romania, Meta Catania from Italy and Riga Latvian Futsal. Group B will play in Zagreb with the Croatian MNK Dinamo and Olmissum, as well as with the Kazakh Kairat Almaty and the French Etoile Lavalloise. Finally, the second derby will be played in Lisbon between Sporting and Braga, as well as Anderlecht and the Czech Pilzzen.