UEFA Futsal Champions League elite round report: Cartagena, Kairat, Palma, Sporting reach finals

UEFA Futsal Champions League holders Illes Balears Palma, fellow two-time champions Sporting CP and Kairat Almaty, and debutants Cartagena Costa Calida are through to May's finals after winning their elite round groups.

The four group winners will contest the knockout finals at Antarès in Le Mans, France on 2 to 4 May, as announced on 16 December.

Elite round groups

Group A

Cartagena Costa Cálida (ESP, hosts), Riga Futsal Club (LVA), Catania (ITA), United Galati (ROU)

Cartagena made a commanding start against fellow debutants and sole preliminary round survivors Catania, Francisco Cortés notching a hat-trick in an 8-1 victory. They then went three points clear when they came from behind to defeat Riga 4-1.

Riga had kicked off by beating United Galati 6-0, but their hopes were ended on Matchday 3 as they lost 3-2 to Catania, Michele Podda scoring his competition-leading 13th goal of the season for the Italian side. On the same day, Cartagena booked their finals slot by downing United Galati 6-1.

Cartagena have reached the finals on debutCartagena Costa Cálida

Group B

Kairat Almaty (KAZ), Etoile Lavalloise (FRA), MNK Olmissum (CRO), Futsal Dinamo (CRO, hosts)

Kairat will be back in the finals for the first time since 2021 after following up their 4-2 win against Etoile Lavalloise with a 1-0 defeat of Olmissum. That proved enough for the Kazakh side to qualify with a game to spare as Dinamo – who held Croatian rivals Olmissum 1-1 thanks to a late ten-metre penalty by Tihomir Novak – lost 4-3 to Etoile Lavalloise in their second outing.

Etoile Lavalloise and Olmissum did put on an entertaining game to conclude their campaigns, drawing 4-4 after Soufiane El Mesrar completed a hat-trick for the French club in the last minute to end on 12 goals for the campaign, one behind Podda. Etoile Lavalloise ultimately finished second behind Kairat, who celebrated their progress with a 5-1 defeat of Dinamo.

Kairat are back in the finalsAFC Kairat

Group C

Sporting CP (POR, hosts), Sporting Anderlecht (BEL), Braga (POR), Plzeň (CZE)

Sporting went into Friday's deciders three points clear after beating Anderlecht 4-1 and Plzeň 7-2. Braga opened with a 4-2 defeat of Plzeň but then lost 6-1 to Anderlecht.

Semi-finalists in 2022/23, Anderlecht defeated Plzeň 3-2 to give themselves hope of a return if Sporting lost to Braga (depending on the scoreline). And in a thriller between the Portuguese rivals, Sporting led 4-2 with ten minutes left before being pegged back to 4-4, though they clung on to reach the post-2006/07 finals for a record 11th time.

Zicky and Sporting are in the finals againSporting Clube de Portugal

Group D

Illes Balears Palma (ESP, hosts), Semey (KAZ), Record Bielsko-Biała (POL), Lučenec (SVK)

Aiming to clinch a third title from as many entries, Palma entered the last set of games three points ahead after 4-1 wins against both Semey and Lučenec, both featuring a hat-trick from Fabinho, who missed the 2024 final through injury. Debutants Semey kept their debut hopes alive on Matchday 2 courtesy of four Dedezinho goals in a 5-0 defeat of Record, who had previously beaten Lučenec 3-1.

Dedezinho struck four again as Semey defeated Lučenec 8-1 to maintain a chance of progress if Record beat Palma (depending on the scoreline). In another tense decider, Record led Palma 1-0 after 15 seconds, trailed at half-time and then went 3-2 up with less than five minutes left. However, Marcelo equalised 60 seconds later and the home crowd at the Palau Municipal d'Esports de Son Moix were able to savour qualification.

Palma are aiming for a hat-trick of titlesAE Illes Balears Palma