The 2017 Euro Beach Soccer League (EBSL) was the 20th edition of the annual, premier European competition in beach soccer contested between men's national teams, in a league and play-off format.
This season teams continued to take part in two divisions, the top tier (Division A) and the bottom tier (Division B). Twelve teams continued to contest Division A as in recent seasons, consisting of the top eleven finishers from last year plus Azerbaijan who were promoted to the top tier. Division B was expanded to accommodate fifteen nations; the thirteen nations which did not gain promotion from last season, Lithuania who made their debut, plus Romania who were relegated from the top tier. No nations returned to the tournament after an absence from competing in recent years.
This season, in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the competition, additional matches were scheduled for a total of five stages of fixtures during the regular season. Each team from Division A played in two stages whilst each team from Division B played in one stage. During each stage the participating nations earned points for the overall league tables.
At the end of the regular season stages, according to the league tables, the eight best teams in Division A advanced to the post-season Superfinal to compete directly to become the winners of this year's EBSL. Meanwhile, the top seven teams in Division B (the stage winners and best runners-up) and the team ranked bottom of Division A played in the Promotion Final to try to earn a spot in Division A next year.
Turkey were promoted to Division A after beating Estonia to claim the Promotion Final title. This sees Turkey return to the top flight for the first time since they were relegated from Division A in 2011. Greece finished last in Division A and failed to defend their place in the Promotion Final and were therefore subsequently relegated to Division B, ending their four-year run in the top tier.
Russia won the league after a strong performance in the Superfinal, claiming their fifth EBSL crown to tie for first with Spain and Portugal with the most titles in EBSL history. Defending champions Ukraine were knocked out of title-winning contention in the group stage of the Superfinal, ultimately finishing seventh in the post-season event.
Calendar and locations Dates Country City Stage 23–25 June Belgrade Stage 1 7–9 July Nazaré Stage 2 28–30 July Moscow Stage 3 11–13 August Siófok Stage 4 25–27 August Warnemünde Stage 5 14–17 September Terracina Superfinal and Promotion Final
Teams
The following teams have entered this season, in the following divisions (12 in Division A, 15 in Division B).
The numbers in brackets show the European ranking of each team prior to the start of the season, out of 36 nations.
Division A
(1st) (2nd) (3rd) (4th) (5th) (6th) (7th) (9th) (11th) (12th) 1 (14th) (15th)
Division B
(8th) (10th) (13th) (16th) 2 (17th) (18th) (19th) (20th) (21st) (22nd) (24th) (25th) (26th) (27th) 3 (28th)
Notes: 1. Promoted from Division B at the end of the 2016 season 2. Relegated from Division A at the end of the 2016 season 3. Teams making their debut
Stage 1 (Belgrade, 23–25 June) Matches are listed as local time in Belgrade, CEST (UTC+2)
All matches took place at the National Beach Soccer Stadium at Ada Ciganlija, with a capacity of 2,500.
Division A TeamNotes132001109+16Group Winners2311011311+2533100269–33431002101003
Division B TeamNotes1320011412+26Group Winners2301111517–233310021312+134310021112–13
Serbia, Norway and Czech Republic are ranked accordingly based on their three-way head-to-head results
Awards The following were presented after the conclusion of final day's matches. Individual awards apply to Division A only. Stage Winners trophyTop scorer(s)Best playerBest goalkeeper(Division A)(Division B) Llorenc Gomez Anthony Barbotti 4 goals Llorenc Gomez Lorenzo Dupin
Stage 2 (Nazaré, 7–9 July) Stage 2 was originally scheduled to take place in Sanxenxo, Spain but on 1 June, BSWW announced the stage was to be moved due to administrative issues, with Nazaré becoming the new host city due to having successfully hosted the 2017 Euro Winners Cup events, as well as being in close geographical proximity to the original hosts, Sanxenxo.
There were no Division B fixtures during this stage.
Division A Matches are listed as local time in Nazaré, WEST (UTC+1)
All matches took place at the Estádio do Viveiro at the Praia de Nazaré, in tandem with the hosting of the 2017 Women's Euro Beach Soccer Cup. The arena has a capacity of 1,600.
Group 1 TeamNotes132001167+96Group Winners2320011312+1633101198+14430003718–110
Group 2 TeamNotes1321002516+98Group Winners2320011510+56331002612–63430003816–80
Awards The following were presented after the conclusion of the final day's matches. Stage Winners trophyTop scorer(s)Best playerBest goalkeeper Dejan Stanković 7 goals Madjer Elinton Andrade
Stage 3 (Moscow, 28–30 July) Matches are listed as local time in Moscow, MSK (UTC+3)
All matches took place at Yantar Beach Soccer Stadium in the district of Strogino,Note the stadium is also referred to as "Amber Beach Sports Stadium". with a capacity of 2,500 seats.
Division A TeamNotes133000196+139Group Winners232001139+46331002161603430003320–170
Division B TeamNotes12200084+46Group Winners221001550332000259–40
Awards The following were presented after the conclusion of final day's matches. Individual awards apply to Division A only. Stage Winners trophyTop scorer(s)Best playerBest goalkeeper(Division A)(Division B) Ihar Bryshtel 6 goals Aleksey Makarov Maxim Chuzhkov
Stage 4 (Siófok, 11–13 August) Matches are listed as local time in Siófok, CEST (UTC+2)
All matches took place at the Mlsz Beach Aréna at Nagystrand, with a capacity of 1,500.
Division A TeamNotes132010157+87Group Winners232001114+76331002813–53430003818–100
Division B TeamNotes133000376+319Group Winners2320012113+863310022029–93430003535–300
Awards The following were presented after the conclusion of final day's matches. Individual awards apply to Division A only. Stage Winners trophyTop scorer(s)Best playerBest goalkeeper(Division A)(Division B) Pawel Friszkemut Sabir Allahguliyev Ihar Bryshtel 4 goals Jordan Santos Valery Makarevich
Stage 5 (Warnemünde, 25–27 August) Matches are listed as local time in Warnemünde, CEST (UTC+2)
All matches took place at the purpose built DFB Beachsoccer Arena, at the site of the Sport & Beach Arena on Warnemünde Beach, with a capacity of 1,500 seats.
Division A TeamNotes13210096+38Group Winners232001108+2633100287+13430003410–60
Division B TeamNotes1330002210+129Group Winners2320011312+163310021215–334300031121–100
Awards The following were presented after the conclusion of final day's matches. Individual awards apply to Division A only. Stage Winners trophyTop scorer(s)Best playerBest goalkeeper(Division A)(Division B) Michele Di Palma Maksym Voitok Amid Nazarov Sascha Weirauch 3 goals Roman Pachev Toni Muller
League tables
At stage completion
Ranking & tie-breaking criteria: Division A – 1. Points earned 2. Goal difference 3. Goals scored | Division B – 1. Highest group placement 2. Points earned 3. Goal difference 4. Goals scored 5. Results against 4th place team
Division A TeamNotes1 641104023+1715Advance toSuperfinal2641012218+4143 640022413+11124 640022616+10125 640022515+10126630033126+597630031620–498620131721–479 611042127–6510 610051420–6311 610051625–9312 600061038–280Promotion Final
Division B TeamNotes1 (Q) 22000235+186Advance toPromotion Final2 (Q) 22000156+963 (Q) 22000117+464 (Q) 2200084+465 (q) 210011312+136 (q) 2100155037 (q) 2100158–338 200111013–319 20002910–1010 2000259–4011 20002612–6012 20002726–19013 310021112–1314 300031121–10015 30003535–300 Note: Since one group in Division B consisted of just three teams, for the teams who finished in 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a group of four, their results against the 4th placed team in their groups have been discounted. Team group placement: 1st place / 2nd place / 3rd place / 4th place
(Q) – Qualified to Promotion Final as group winner(q) – Qualified Promotion Final as best group runners-up
Promotion Final (Terracina, 14–17 September) Qualified teams The teams in bold have qualified as group winners. The team in italics will attempt to retain their position in Division A, having finished bottom of the table.
(Last place, Division A)
Group stage Matches are listed as local time in Terracina, CEST (UTC+2)
All matches took place at the Beach Arena "Carlo Guarnieri", at Spiaggia di Levante with a capacity of around 2,500.Note that the capacity figure is as of 2014.
Group 1 TeamNotes133000115+69Advance to final232001139+4633100289–13430003716–90
Group 2 TeamNotes132100138+58Advance to final2320011813+563310021012–23430003715–80
Play-off stage Seventh place play-off
Fifth place play-off
Third place play-off
Promotion play-off final
Final standings TeamQualification1Promoted to 2018 EBSL Division A2Remain in Division B34Relegated to 2018 EBSL Division B5Remain in Division B678 Italics: team from Division A
Superfinal (Terracina, 14–17 September)
Qualified teams The top eight teams from Division A, as per the league table, qualified for the Superfinal.
Group stage Matches are listed as local time in Terracina, CEST (UTC+2)
All matches took place at the Beach Arena "Carlo Guarnieri", at Spiaggia di Levante with a capacity of around 2,500.
Group 1 TeamNotes1330001814+49Advance to final2320011811+763310021721–434300031522–70
Group 2 TeamNotes133000126+69Advance to final2320011913+66331002810–23430003717–100
Play-off stage Seventh place play-off
Fifth place play-off
Third place play-off
Superfinal match
Awards Winners trophy
Individual awards Awarded for feats achieved in the Superfinal only Top scorer Noel Ott 9 goalsBest player Artur PaporotnyiBest goalkeeper Maxim Chuzhkov
Final standings TeamNotes1Champions2Runners-up3Third place45678
Season statistics Top scorers The following tables list the top 10 scorers in each division including goals scored in both the regular and post season events. Note there is no award presented for these season-encompassing scoring feats, the tables are for statistical purposes only. Scoring awards were bestowed per stage, with the primary award that which was presented in the Superfinal.
Division A RankPlayerPldGoals1 Dejan Stanković 10 182 Noël Ott 9 153 Léo Martins 10 14 Ihar Bryshtel 105 Gabriele Gori 9 11 Llorenç Gómez 107 Madjer 10 9 Salvador Ardil "Chiky" 10 Paweł Friszkemut 1010 Bê Martins 7 8 Boris Nikonorov 8 Ivan Glutskyi 10 Antonio Mayor 10 Eduard Suárez 10
Division B RankPlayerPldGoals1 Aaron Clarke 7 152 Filip Filipov 7 123 Viktor Túrós 7 9 Ferenc Besenyei 7 Viktor Fekete 7 Ragnar Rump 77 Cem Keskin 6 88 Jake Younie 7 79 Casper Dorph Jørgensen 3 6 Henrik Rædkjær 3 Jørn-Andre Lygre Jacobsen 3 Kornel Genczler 5 Ionut Florea 7 Balazs Rutai 7
Assists The following tables list the top five assistants in each division including assists provided in both the regular and post season events.
Division A RankPlayerPldAssists1 Dejan Stanković 10 72 Eduard Suárez 10 6 Maxim Chuzhkov 104 Michael Misev 8 5 Anton Shkarin 9 Elinton Andrade 10 Valery Makarevich 10 Dario Ramacciotti 10
Division B RankPlayerPldAssists1 Ivan Todorov 7 52 Gabriel Dobre 3 3 Klaus Ryding 3 Bogdan Ciocanel 6 Viktor Fekete 7
Source