The three European sides participating in the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, SC Magdeburg, Veszprém HC and FC Barcelona, are entering the fray on Saturday, facing, at least on paper, the easiest opponents.

California Eagles, Sydney Uni and Handebol Taubaté have all lost their first matches and will try the impossible, to shock the favourites in the second day of competition in the New Administrative Capital Hall.

GROUP A
15:30 EEST California Eagles (USA) vs SC Magdeburg (GER)

For the fifth consecutive year, SC Magdeburg are taking part at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, after winning the title in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and coming second in 2024, conceding an overtime loss against Veszprém HC in the final of the last edition.

That means that the German side are still riding an unbeaten streak, therefore they will be looking to maintain it, as they come to the New Administrative Capital as the reigning European club champions, after winning the Machineseeker EHF Champions League title in Cologne last June.

With injury problems easing up for Magdeburg, after being hit over the previous season from all angles, the German side is eager to bounce back and will face the California Eagles in the first match, as they aim to build up a strong goal difference in order to win the group.

"I'm looking forward to this adventure. Our goal is to win four games, and everyone knows what that means," says coach Bennet Wiegert, for the official website of the German side.

So far this season, Magdeburg have not conceded a loss, winning seven matches and drawing a single one, 31:31 in the German Bundesliga against Erlangen, securing wins against Wisla Plock, FC Barcelona and PSG in the Champions League.

On the other hand, the Eagles have started with a 30:35 loss against Sharjah SC in the first match of the group and are still seeking for their maiden win at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, in their second consecutive appearance. 

The two teams have also met in 2024, when Magdeburg took a 57:21 win, with Lukas Mertens scoring 16 goals for the German powerhouse.

GROUP B
20:00 EEST Sydney Uni (AUS) vs Veszprém HC (HUN)

Reigning champions Veszprém HC are overwhelming favourites against Sydney Uni, a team which in 12 appearances in the competition have never won against an European side.

The two teams have met once, in 2015, when Veszprém HC took a 29:17 win in the semi-finals of the competition. But the Hungarian side will be surely looking to improve their record winning margin at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, a 26-goal win against Taubaté in the previous edition.

Unlike Magdeburg, Veszprém have already tasted the defeat this season, conceding a 28:32 loss against Aalborg in the Champions League, but bounced back with wins against Nantes and Dinamo București in the European premium competition and are on a four-match winning streak in all competitions.

The Hungarian side has a star-studded line-up, with fantastic players in all positions, as they strengthened the squad this summer, with the additions of right back Ivan Martinovic, goalkeeper Mikael Appelgren and Egyptian stars Ali Zein, Ahmed Adel and Ahmed Hesham, as well as defensive specialist Thiagus Petrus.

In the first match on Friday, Sydney Uni conceded a 14:41 loss against Al-Ahly, and will aim to limit the damage against the title holders.

“I think it is an honor and a pleasure for us to participate in such a tournament. Playing in the Club World Championship is important for the club and for us, players, coaches, to be there. It is something really good,” said Veszprém’s coach, Xavi Pascual, who won the competition five times, in 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018 with Barcelona and in 2024 with Veszprém.

GROUP C
17:45 EEST Handebol Taubaté (BRA) vs FC Barcelona (ESP)

The most decorated team in the history of the competition, FC Barcelona, are returning to the IHF Men’s Club World Championship for the 11th time, but are still seeking their maiden title since 2019, having lost the finals in 2021 and 2022 and finishing third in 2023 and fourth in 2024.

Barcelona will never be pushovers, despite a hefty makeover of their squad this summer, when they lost several players, but resigned line player Ludovic Fabregas, who won the title here in 2024 with Veszprém.

The Spanish champions will start with a match against Handebol Taubaté, a team which they won against once, 32:18, in 2013, despite the two sides being the second and third teams in number of appearances in the competition.

Yet Barcelona are still a force to be reckoned with, mixing a veteran core with some young exciting talent, including Egyptian stalwart Seif Elderaa, who has signed for Barca this summer.

Handebol Taubaté are on an eight-match losing streak at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, dating back to 2022 and will try to limit the damage, after conceding a loss in their first match, 24:26, against Zamalek.