Jimbee Cartagena made an impressive debut in the UEFA Futsal Champions League. Securing a spot in the Elite Round with two draws and a win in the Main Round. They clinched the top position in Group 1 after a 4-4 draw with RSC Anderlecht. Which guarantees them a seeded position for the October 31 draw in Nyon. The Cartagena squad made a strong impression in their European debut, and head coach Eduardo São Thiago, “Duda,” noted, “We’re very pleased to secure first place in such a balanced group, which underscores our accomplishment.”
After their opening draw with Poland’s Record Bielsko-Biała (1-1), Duda pointed out, “Refereeing is different from Spain; the game here is much more physical.” Following their 4-1 victory over Ukraine’s Hit, he added, “We’ve adjusted to the FIFA standard for physical play, and raised our level of contact.” After the final match against Anderlecht, he reiterated, “Spain has a unique approach to rules and officiating, which makes our qualification even more noteworthy.”
Duda’s immediate focus is on the injured Waltinho, who missed the first game, and Pablo Ramírez, injured in that match, with both awaiting further tests on Monday. Additionally, the arrival of Thai forward Muhammad Osamanmusa is delayed due to paperwork. Jimbee Cartagena will face Servigroup Peñíscola on Friday, while the Elite Round draw takes place Thursday, October 31. The round itself, scheduled for November 26 to December 1, will feature 16 teams divided into four groups competing for a spot in the Final Four, set for May 2025.
Seeded Teams
Jimbee Cartagena will be seeded alongside Illes Balears Palma Futsal, Portugal’s Braga, and Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty, managed by Marlon Velasco. Group runners-up in Route A include Record Bielsko-Biała, Croatia’s Olmissum, Romania’s United Galati, and Sporting CP. Other qualifiers include third-placed Anderlecht, Czech team Plzeň, Croatian Futsal Dinamo, and Semey. Four teams from Route B, including France’s Etoile Lavalloise, Latvia’s Riga, Slovakia’s Lučenec, and Italy’s Meta Catania, round out the lineup.
Cartagena’s mayor, Noelia Arroyo, confirmed a bid to host the Elite Round at the city’s Sports Palace, joining Palma and multiple other applicants (Lisbon, Riga, Zagreb, Catania, and Bielsko-Biała). The final venues for the four groups will be selected during the group draw on Thursday in Nyon.
