The Spanish duo have proved dominant athletes in the discipline in recent years and they showed their ability again at the Sports and Business Centre Vojvodina.

Sanchez claimed victories in each of her four bouts by unanimous decisions, ending the day with a 5-0 success against Dorota Balciarova of Slovakia.

The Spaniard is on course to claim a fourth consecutive European title, but will face a rematch of last year’s final against Italy’s Viviana Bottaro.

“I live each one of these moments as if it was the first time,” said Sanchez.

“I am very thrilled that I got the chance to be in a final again and I just can’t wait for Saturday to come.

“It will be the same final as last year and I think it will be even harder.

“Viviana is a great competitor, very experienced and I am sure that the bout will be a great match to watch."

Four-time individual champion Quintero won each of his bouts 5-0 to progress through to the final, guaranteeing him of a 20th medal at continental level.

He will face the challenge of Turkey’s Ali Sofuoglu, who also won each of his bouts by the same margin as Quintero.

The Turkish athlete will hope to avenge his defeat in last year’s final.

Azerbaijan appear set for success, with three of their athletes having booked places in kumite finals on the opening day of the Championships.

Rafael Aghayev, a 10-time European champion, led their charge by reaching the under-75 kilogram final in impressive style.

He beat Italy’s Luigi Busa in the semi-finals, with the victory setting up a gold medal match against Hungary’s Gabor Harspataki.

Shahin Atamov followed Aghayev, as the Azeri athlete progressed to the over-84kg final by beating Spain’s Babacar Seck Sakho.

Bosnia’s and Herzegovina’s Ivan Klepic will provide the opposition in the gold medal match.

Azerbaijan also have an opportunity for gold in Irina Zaretska, as she reached the under-68kg final by overcoming Macedonia’s Angela Mojsovska 7-0.

She will now meet Elena Quirici of Switzerland in the gold medal bout.

The Championships began with 52 of the 53 national federations present, with Kosovo the sole absentee.

Their team were denied entry to Serbia twice at the border yesterday, as the ongoing political tension between the two countries continues, after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

In response, the European Karate Federation insisted they were "working hard and striving to make sure all athletes are able to compete".

The decision risks the intervention of sporting bodies who have warned countries not to ban athletes from competing for political reasons.

Last month, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach called on sport to "show its teeth" by taking action to combat cases of countries restricting the way other nations participate at events on political grounds.