Fuchse Berlin and HBC Nantes qualify for EHF CL Final4 2025!
Füchse Berlin will appear for the second time, while Nantes will be making their third visit to Cologne! Füchse Berlin dominated again in Aalborg, where even a sold-out Gigantium couldn’t help the Danish champions, who suffered their first home defeat after 500 days. The Bundesliga leaders’ 40:36 (21:20) victory was just a continuation of what began in Berlin, where the home team won 37:29. At no point was there doubt whether Jaron Siewert’s team would maintain their first-leg advantage.
Dejan Milosavljev, Mijajlo Marsenić, and Dejan Perić are packing their bags for Lanxess Arena, a venue where they have already lifted the trophy wearing the jersey and tracksuit of Vardar Skopje.
Füchse Berlin: Ludwig, Milosavljev (12 saves); Wiede (5), Darj (1), Prantner (1), Andersson (7), Lichtlein (5), Gidsel (9), Freihöfer (6), Langhoff, Beneke, Grüner (1), Herburger, av Teigum (2), Marsenic (2).
Aalborg Handbold: Landin (4 saves), Norsten (8 saves); Nilsson (2), Sagosen (3), Barthold (2), Arnoldsen (5), Hald (3), Hoxer (3), Thurin, Vlah (2), Björnsen (9), Moller (3), Mollgard, Antonsen, Juul (3), Munk (1).
It was much more thrilling in Lisbon, where the visitors booked another Final4 spot, following their appearances in the final in 2018 and semifinals in 2021. Excellent Croatian goalkeeper Ivan Pešić was the standout player in the French vice-champions’ 32:30 victory, which secured their 28:27 first-leg advantage. The Croatian recorded 16 saves, effectively stopping the Costa brothers and the new Portuguese wave.
HBC Nantes: Ivan PESIC (16/45), Ignacio BIOSCA (0/1), Thibaud BRIET (1/4), Aymeric MINNE (8/9), Shuichi YOSHIDA (2/2), Ayoub Abdi (1/1), Valero RIVERA (6/8), Théo AVELANGE-DEMOUGE, Rok OVNICEK, Nicolas TOURNAT (6/9), Julien BOS (5/10), Matej GABER, O’Brian NYATEU (1/2), Noam LEOPOLD (1/1), Romain LAGARDE, Kauldi ODRIOZOLA (1/2).
Sporting CP: Mohamed ALY (3/11), André KRISTENSEN (6/30), Edney OLIVEIRA (2/5), Pedro PORTELA (1/2), Francisco COSTA (6/11), Natan SUAREZ (2/3), Jan GURRI (1/2), Pedro MARTINEZ, William HOGHEILM (1/1), Salvador SALVADOR, Orri Freyr PORKELSSON (3/5), Mamadou GASSAMA (4/5), Diogo BRANQUINHO, Joao Pedro VINHAS, Christian MOGA, Martim COSTA (8/14).
