Manuel Ferrari has completed his rapid rise through the PokerStars tournament ranks by winning the 2026 EPT Barcelona Main Event for €1,002,488.
The 34-year-old Italian defeated Lukas van Eeden heads-up at Casino Barcelona after surviving a field of 1,823 entries in the €5,300 Main Event.
Ferrari began the final day as chip leader, narrowly ahead of Spain’s Jose Criado, and eventually emerged from a three-handed deal to become the latest European Poker Tour Main Event champion.
Van Eeden finished runner-up for €927,420, while Criado collected €910,642 in third.
Ferrari Converts Final-Day Chip Lead
Ferrari entered the final day with 16.1 million chips and 81 big blinds, giving him the smallest of leads over Criado.
As Poker Type profiled ahead of the final table, the final six represented six very different poker stories.
Former EPT champion Nicolas Chouity was attempting to win another Main Event 16 years after his Monte Carlo victory. Xiaosheng Zheng was chasing a first EPT Main Event title for China, while Criado had the opportunity to become the first Spanish player ever to win the EPT Barcelona Main Event.
Van Eeden, meanwhile, had arrived at the final table as a recreational player whose previous biggest live cash was just €12,800.
Ferrari was the player they all had to catch.
Nicolas Chouity First to Fall
Chouity entered with only ten big blinds and became the first elimination of the day.
The Lebanese former EPT champion three-bet shoved with ace-ten of hearts after Criado opened with king-jack of hearts.
A king on the turn gave Criado the winning hand and ended Chouity’s attempt to claim a second EPT Main Event title.
He collected €278,950 for sixth place.
Michael Dwyer followed in fifth.
The 61-year-old Irish entrepreneur shoved his final 13 big blinds from the button with ace-ten, only for Zheng to wake up with ace-queen in the big blind.
There was no help for Dwyer on the board, sending him home with €362,500, comfortably the biggest recorded live tournament cash of his career.
Criado Takes Control as Zheng Exits
Zheng had experienced some of the biggest swings at the final table and briefly climbed back above 40 big blinds.
His momentum did not last.
A costly pot against Criado left Zheng under pressure before the Chinese player eventually opened with ace-seven of diamonds and faced a three-bet shove from Criado holding pocket tens.
Zheng called but failed to improve.
Fourth place earned him €471,250 and left Ferrari, Criado and Van Eeden playing three-handed for the title.
Final Three Agree €2.74 Million Deal
Van Eeden initially suggested discussing a deal while sitting on the shortest stack, but Ferrari and Criado were not interested.
That changed after the Dutchman doubled through Criado with pocket sevens against pocket sixes.
The stacks eventually became remarkably close.
Van Eeden held 64 big blinds, Criado 60 and Ferrari 57 when negotiations resumed.
The three players agreed an ICM deal guaranteeing Van Eeden €927,420, Criado €910,642 and Ferrari €902,243.
Another €100,245 remained for the eventual champion.
Ferrari would soon claim it.
Spain Still Waiting for an EPT Barcelona Champion
Criado had entered the final day with the chance to end one of the strangest records in European poker.
Despite Barcelona being one of the longest-running stops on the European Poker Tour, no Spanish player has ever won its Main Event.
Criado came closer than almost anyone.
His stack began to fall after the deal, however, and he eventually shoved pocket sevens.
Ferrari called with ace-ten.
An ace appeared on the flop, putting Ferrari ahead, and Criado could not recover on the turn or river.
Third place was worth €910,642.
Spain’s wait continued.
Ferrari Dominates Van Eeden Heads-Up
Ferrari began heads-up play with 83 big blinds against Van Eeden’s 53 and quickly began extending his advantage.
The difference in experience was significant.
Van Eeden had entered Barcelona with only around $72,000 in recorded live tournament earnings. Ferrari had already won the PokerStars Open Malaga Main Event in 2025 and the PokerStars Open High Roller in Campione earlier this year.
Ferrari gradually reduced Van Eeden below 20 big blinds before the Dutchman made his final stand.
Van Eeden shoved with king-six and Ferrari called with ace-queen.
Both players connected with the flop, but Ferrari’s ace was ahead of Van Eeden’s six.
A queen on the turn moved the Italian even further in front and the river changed nothing.
Ferrari was the EPT Barcelona Main Event champion.
From PokerStars Open Winner to EPT Champion
The victory completes an extraordinary 15 months for Ferrari.
He won the PokerStars Open Malaga Main Event in June 2025 before adding the PokerStars Open Campione High Roller title in January.
Barcelona was the next target.
Ferrari said winning an EPT Main Event had been a dream since he began watching poker coverage as a teenager.
That ambition has now been realised with the biggest victory of his career.
Ferrari’s win also closes another enormous Barcelona festival.
Jason Wheeler earlier defeated 4,333 entries to win the PokerStars Open Main Event for €731,000, while defending EPT Barcelona champion Thomas Eychenne won the PokerStars Open High Roller for €589,395.
Ferrari leaves with the festival’s biggest title.
EPT Barcelona Main Event Final Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Manuel Ferrari | Italy | €1,002,488* |
| 2nd | Lukas van Eeden | Netherlands | €927,420* |
| 3rd | Jose Criado | Spain | €910,642* |
| 4th | Xiaosheng Zheng | China | €471,250 |
| 5th | Michael Dwyer | Ireland | €362,500 |
| 6th | Nicolas Chouity | Lebanon | €278,950 |
*Three-handed deal.
The €5,300 Main Event attracted 1,823 entries, including 526 re-entries, and generated a prize pool of €8,841,550.
After seven days of poker, Ferrari was the last player standing.
