Futsal Champions League coaches consider finals task

Kairat Almaty will face Cartagena Costa Cálida and Sporting CP will meet holders Illes Balears Palma in the 2024/25 UEFA Futsal Champions League semi-finals on Friday 2 May at Antarès in Le Mans, after the draw was made on 22 February.

We hear from the four coaches as they prepare to go for the title.

Kairat Almaty vs Cartagena Costa Cálida

Marlon Velasco Heras, Kairat coach: "In the finals, there are always teams that demonstrate a high level of play. Therefore, regardless of which opponent we faced, we always knew it would be a tough match and that we would be up against a great team.

"Our qualification for these finals was excellent: we won all six of our matches, and achieved this by playing the elite round away from home.

"Our opponents are the current champions of the Spanish league, which, in my opinion, is the best league in the world. This is the team that managed to break the 22-season dominance of giants in the shape of Barça, Inter and Murcia.

"They have an amazing coach with many years of experience who has been with the team for six seasons. This year, they lost three great players in Bebé, Javier Mínguez, and Lucão, but they have kept key players like Chemi, Tomaz [Braga], Mellado, [Gabriel] Motta, Pablo Ramirez and Waltinho.

"The team has also strengthened with talented and promising players such as [Francisco] Cortés, [Gonzalo] Castejón, [Jhonatan] Linhares, [Souheil] Mouhoudine and [Muhammad] Osamanmusa."

Duda, Cartagena coach: "[Kairat] are a team with a lot of experience in the Champions League, and with a strong tradition. They have already won the Champions League and have a very creative coach, a Spanish coach we know well, with great ability to prepare different, new strategies. He is an innovator, and we will certainly have to work hard to prepare for that match.

"Of course, there is a lot of excitement around this competition. There is still a long way to go, but the draw reminds us of what we will experience in May. Over time, we will prepare and try to go into that semi-final as ready as possible."

Sporting CP vs Illes Balears Palma

Nuno Dias, Sporting coach: "We are going to face the reigning European champions – actually, the team that have won the competition twice in a row. I think that says a lot about the quality of Palma.

"Palma are a very strong side, both individually and as a team. They have very good players and are coached by a very competent leader. We must be at our best if we want to progress to the final."

Antonio Vadillo, Palma coach: "Starting from the fact that any opponent we would have faced was going to be very tough and difficult, perhaps we've drawn the favourites for this edition – the team that, due to their experience and squad potential, might be a little above the rest. So, we will have to prepare very well.

"[Sporting] are a very complete team in all phases of the game. I think I mentioned in pre-season, when we faced them in Palma [and won 5-4], that, for me, they are perhaps the most complete futsal team, the one that best dominates all phases, and they have extensive experience at this level.

"They have a squad that's been working with Nuno for a long time, competing in several finals at a very high level. They control all phases of the game and will demand a lot from us. So, we will have to prepare thoroughly and, obviously, we will need to be at our absolute best to get through this knockout stage."