Futsal Champions League semi-final preview: Palma vs Étoile Lavalloise

The UEFA Futsal Champions League semi-finals are played on Friday at Pesaro Futsal Arena with holders lles Balears Palma taking on Étoile Lavalloise in the late fixture.

lles Balears Palma vs Étoile Lavalloise

Palma are in their fourth European season and, having previously won an unprecedented 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.”

Manuel Moya, Étoile Lavalloise coach: "Our aspirations in these finals are the same as the other three teams, even though we are considered the outsiders. We dream of being in the final and – why not? – lifting the trophy on Sunday. We know it will be extremely difficult and that we are not the favourites, but we will do everything in our power to make history in our first [finals] participation."

Fabinho, Palma player: "It's a privilege and an honour to be able to return to this competition. It's always a dream come true and it always feels like the first time. We come into these finals at our peak. It's true that we've had a season of ups and downs, but we're confident again.

"The most important thing is to have good feelings, even more so when we're talking about the Futsal Champions League. We've shown in recent games that we're in good form and, on a personal level, I hope to help my team achieve our main goal, which is to be champions again."

Louis Marquet, Étoile captain: "Not much has changed since our last match against Palma. We faced them in the main round and it was a high-intensity match. But now we're in the finals and it's going to be a completely different game. We've worked hard so far to be here in the finals. We have a lot of quality. Now it's up to us to do everything we can to win this match and qualify for the final.

“We know we're not the favourites but we're very comfortable with that and we're completely focused. Facing them has certainly allowed us to see what we're up against. We also know their strengths and weaknesses. We've worked hard for this since the beginning of the season. Now it's an opportunity for the club, for us, to reach our full potential and give everything to go for that victory."