An important test awaits Maltese waterpolo champions Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate who have travelled to Slovenia ahead of the first leg of their LEN Challenger Cup quarter-final against VK Ljubljana Slovan on Saturday.
The Blues have enjoyed a remarkable run to reach the last eight but their excellent results in the qualification phase have strengthened their motivation to keep the Maltese flag flying high in the LEN Challenger Cup.
Sliema ASC president George Gregory stressed that the team are heading into their first-leg match against VK Ljubljana Slovan with a positive mindset and a strong intent to keep their chances of progressing to the semi-finals intact.
“We know well that Saturday’s game will not be easy,” Gregory told Times of Malta.
“Slovenia is a strong waterpolo nation and this was evident during the Christmas Cup as Malta’s final match against them was balanced and keenly contested.
“VK Ljubljana Slovan are difficult opponents but if we rise to the occasion, we will have a good chance of progressing to the semi-finals of this prestigious European waterpolo competition. As a Maltese club, we are also determined to do well at international level.”
A positive result in Saturday’s first leg in the Slovenian capital would significantly boost Sliema ASC’s chances of advancing to the semi-finals as the Blues will have home advantage in the second leg on February 1.
While Sliema cruised into the quarter-finals with emphatic wins over Hapoel Tel Aviv, Club Fuvial Portuense and Carouge Natation in the qualification round.
VK Ljubljana Slovan had the better of RD Mouscronnois and Limasson NC, and lost to Slovakia’s KVP Novaky, claiming a last-eight spot as group runners-up.
Under the guidance of coach Giannis Katrouzanakis, Sliema played their last match in the local Enemed Cup last weekend, overcoming rivals Neptunes 13-8 to secure a timely morale-booster ahead of their LEN Challenger Cup clash with VK Ljubljana Slovan.
“The club’s decision to participate in the Challenger Cup meant that the team continued to train regularly as we do during the normal season,” Gregory said.
“In most European countries, the regular season runs from September to June, so our opponents are midway through their domestic waterpolo campaign.
“To a certain extent, we’re competing out of season but the Enemed Cup has been very useful as we have been able to play some competitive matches before our Challenger Cup commitments. There is also another positive element in that our coach is very experienced and knows how to prepare the team for these kind of tests. The boys have trained well and are prepared for the upcoming matches. There is optimism with our camp.”
Academy’s impact
2024 was a memorable year for the Blues as they finally ended their long wait to win the domestic championship, ending the season with a league and cup double.
Their positive performances in the on-going LEN Challenger Cup and the Enemed Cup justify the club’s optimism about their prospects of sustained success.
Gregory, the Sliema ASC president, attributed the club’s revival to the work of the academy.
“The club academy is very important,” Gregory said. “With the senior team, we have three to four established players but the squad is mostly made up of young players who have come through our academy.
“The unstinting work of the academy over the past seven to eight years is now bearing its fruit as our young, homegrown players are the heartbeat of our senior side.”
