"For us, it is excellent to be participating again in such a prestigious competition as the European League and doing so at home, in our hall, makes this return even more special, although the first round is being played away from home." Marco Sousa told A Bola as Águas Santas prepare to reopen their European campaign. The club are back in European competition after three seasons away, and back in the European League group stage four seasons after the 2022/23 campaign.
Sousa's view of the group
Sousa was just as direct about the opposition. "From a sporting point of view, we know that we are in a very demanding group," he said, naming Flensburg-Handewitt, Buzau 2012 and Granollers as the three sides standing between Águas Santas and the next stage. Flensburg are described by Sousa as a candidate to win the competition, while Buzau and Granollers arrive with more experience at this level.
The opener is set for Tuesday at 17:45 in Romania against Buzau 2012. Sousa called them "an experienced and very tricky team" and said their game is built around physical defending, fast breaks and the counterattack, with Lithuanian playmaker Zanas Gabrielius Virbauskas at the centre of it. That is a hard first assignment for a side returning to this level after such a long absence, and Sousa is right not to dress it up as anything softer.
Buzau reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup last season, which gives the opener a proper edge before Águas Santas even look at the rest of the group.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
