Futsal Champions League semi-final preview: Cartagena vs Sporting CP, Palma vs Étoile Lavalloise

The UEFA Futsal Champions League semi-finals are played on Friday at Pesaro Futsal Arena as Cartagena Costa Cálida play Sporting CP and holders lles Balears Palma take on Étoile Lavalloise.

Cartagena Costa Cálida vs Sporting CP

One year on from Spanish debutants Cartagena beating two-time champions Sporting on penalties to claim bronze in Le Mans, they meet again for a final spot in Pesaro. Cartagena, whose coach Duda previously led Murcia FS to a decider back in 2008, were the only one of these four sides to reach Pesaro unbeaten over 40 minutes, and avenged their 2025 semi-final loss to Kairat Almaty by defeating them 9-5 on aggregate in the new two-legged quarter-finals.

In that round, Sporting overcame Benfica 10-8 on aggregate in a typically breathless Lisbon derby, making them the first team to contest the finals six years in a row. The 2019 and 2021 champions have had two straight fourth-placed finishes following a run of six final appearances in seven years, and their squad is full of title-winning experience in the shape of João Matos, Gonçalo, Alex Merlim, twins Bernardo Paçó and Tomás Paçó, Pauleta and Zicky, not to mention Nuno Dias, who has coached more games in this competition than anyone else.

However, Sporting are missing long-term absentees Taynan and Henrique Rafagnin as well as Allan Guilherme though Zicky and Vinícius Rocha are available. Cartagena are without suspended Lucas Farias and injured Renato Lopes but Italian international Gabriel Motta, Francisco Cortés and Juninho have all made the squad despite fitness worries.

Key stat: In February's Futsal EURO 2026 final, Cartagena's Chemi, Mellado, Pablo Ramírez and Francisco Cortés were part of the Spain side that beat a Portugal team including Sporting's Bernardo Paçó, Tomás Paçó, Diogo Santos and Pauleta.

Duda, Cartagena coach: "Sporting are a very well-organised team, and perhaps what sets them apart most is the fact that they incorporate their goalkeeper a lot into their attacking build-up. This leads to many shots on goal and many set pieces, where they are extremely strong. They have players of enormous quality and a very complete squad. They rarely play 5v4 because they win almost all their games and don't need to use that aspect of the game.

"The experience gained last year helps, but it won't be decisive; even in futsal, everything changes very quickly. But it's true that my team is more mature and has a greater capacity to face games as demanding as the one we will face in the semi-finals."

Nuno Dias, Sporting coach: "Cartagena are two-time Spanish champions and therefore are not just any team. They deserve all our respect. We have to try to find some of our opponents’ weaker points that can work in our favour. Cartagena have many solutions at an individual and collective level, being strong on set pieces and having three quality pivots.

“These games are decided by details and small advantages, and that's what we're going to try to exploit. We're going to try to make the most of the moments when we are stronger. There is no feeling of revenge for having lost against them last year. It was a good, balanced game where Cartagena was more effective in the penalty shootout. We just want to do our job well."

Gonzalo Castejón, Cartagena player: "Being here for the second time is well deserved for all the hard work we put in last season [in retaining the Spanish title]. Life gives us second chances and we are more prepared and experienced to approach these finals.

"Last year we had a practically new team and this time we are better prepared for the challenges ahead. We will face one of the best teams in the world, but we also have a great team. It will certainly be a fantastic futsal match."

Alex Merlim, Sporting player: "It's always a pleasure to be on the big stage, but it's not easy to get here. It's the result of a lot of hard work. We enter every competition to win and that has been the DNA of this team. I'm privileged to be in another final tournament. We've lost more than we've won in this competition [in the finals], but to achieve that, you first need to be here.

“I'm the oldest player on this team and I try to pass on my experience to the younger players, but I'm always learning too. We were made for these kinds of games and most of the players on our team have already won everything there is to win. It's special for me to play these finals here in Italy, and I just hope to be happy."

lles Balears Palma vs Étoile Lavalloise

Palma are in their fourth European season and, having previously won an unprecedent three titles in a row, they have a lot to live up to in Pesaro. Their record of having never lost a Futsal Champions League match finally went after a record 30 when they succumbed 1-0 at Riga Futsal Club in the second leg of their quarter-final. Yet their journey to Pesaro was otherwise smooth, beginning in the main round when, as group hosts, they opened with a 2-1 comeback defeat of Étoile, Fabinho and Charuto striking after Souheil Mouhoudine had given the French side a 1-0 half-time lead.

Goalkeepers Carlos Barrón and Luan Muller have been part of all three Palma triumphs, though the other player remaining from those victories, Mario Rivillos, is not in the squad this time. Fabinho also won in 2023 and 2025 but was injured in 2024. Two other key players are the other keeper, Dennis Cavalcanti, and the prolific Alisson, both runners-up to Palma with Kairat last season.

Étoile are the second French team to contest this stage after ACCS Asnières Villeneuve 92 in 2021/22, with Mouhoudine and Nelson Lutin the link between those two squads. They saw off Semey in the quarter-finals, Bilal Bakkali scoring late winners in both legs, just as in their main round comeback success over the Kazakhstani club.

Key stat: Either Palma will be the first club to reach four straight deciders or Étoile will be France's debut finalists.

Antonio Vadillo, Palma coach: "[Étoile] have many internationals from Morocco and France, who are currently a sensation as a national team. They are very dynamic players who participate in many national-team tournaments year after year.

"They play at a very high tempo every minute. Positionally, they're one of the best. They maintain possession a lot and they're going to put us under pressure. We have to get hold of the ball quickly because otherwise, we're going to suffer.”

Carlos Barrón, Palma captain: "[Étoile] are the big surprise, but not so much for us. They've knocked out big teams like Semey, and had a great main round, where at Son Moix they already showed us the quality they have."

Souheil Mouhoudine, Étoile player: "We've been watching this Palma team closely. They're one of the best in Europe, like the other two teams still in the competition. Naturally, we want to learn from them to consistently return to this stage of the tournament.

"We also remember playing them at the beginning of the season. We showed that we could compete on equal terms with Palma, who I think will take us very seriously."