The business end of the EHF Champions League Men begins tomorrow (12 June), with four teams vying for the trophy in Cologne in a spellbinding two-day action-packed handball festival.

PSG Handball, HBC Nantes and Aalborg Håndbold have the chance to win their first-ever EHF Champions League Men crown, yet the path to the title is difficult, with the current favourite, Barça, riding an impressive 18-game winning streak in the European premium competition this season.

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? https://t.co/HTUxVIMMbY pic.twitter.com/9Ql1r2I550

— EHF Champions League (@ehfcl) June 11, 2021

It will be an emotional EHF FINAL4 for coach Xavi Pascual, who will end his 12-year stint at the Spanish club, hoping to finish it on a high. Pascual, who will be replaced by Antonio Carlos Ortega this summer, has won 60 trophies with Barça, including two EHF Champions League Men titles.
 
“I will not be getting all emotional, the only thing that matters is winning the trophy for these players and for our fans,” stated Pascual in a press conference.
 
The summer will be special for Barça, as iconic centre back Raul Entrerrios will call it an end to his career, while line player Cedric Sorhaindo and centre back Aron Palmarsson will leave the club.

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— Barça Handbol (@FCBhandbol) June 10, 2021

Yet Barça are not guaranteed to win the trophy, as a Spanish coach awaits them in the semi-final. Alberto Entrerrios, Raul’s brother, is behind HBC Nantes’ great success this season, with the French team, the outsider, to break through the ranks to their second EHF FINAL4 in four years.
 
The French side had two huge upsets in the previous knockout rounds, with wins against powerhouses Lomza Vive Kielce and Telekom Veszprem HC, therefore being dubbed the “giant killers”.
 
Former Barça players, Valero Rivera and Kiril Lazarov, have spearheaded Nantes’ challenge this season, with their experience getting plenty of plaudits in a truly successful season for the French club.

? Quelques photos de l'arrivée des joueurs à Cologne.#WeHback | #EHFFinal4 pic.twitter.com/63J6O4ZDJv

— HBCNantes (@HBCNantes) June 11, 2021

In the other semi-final, PSG Handball face EHF FINAL4 debutants Aalborg Håndbold. The French side, who have taken part in four of the last five EHF FINAL4s, are still searching for their maiden European trophy, while Aalborg look to kick-start their dominance in European handball.

Une journée en quatre images ! Pour en voir plus, retrouvez l'album complet de la journée des ?? sur notre site officiel : https://t.co/Ed8M5tjGnb (Crédits : TeamPics/PSG) #EHFFinal4 pic.twitter.com/OM8D5yMOav

— PSG Handball (@psghand) June 10, 2021

The MVP of the 2021 IHF Men’s World Championship, PSG’s Mikkel Hansen, will be facing his next club, as he has signed a contract with Aalborg starting in 2023.
 
On the other side, Aalborg are hungry and after eliminating FC Porto and SG Flensburg-Handewitt, will look to cap off their historic run on top of the podium.

Playing schedule
All times local

Semi-finals
Saturday, 12 June, 15:15: PSG Handball – Aalborg Håndbold
Saturday, 12 June, 18:00: Barça – HBC Nantes
 
3/4 Placement match
Sunday, 13 June, 15:15 Loser M1 – Loser M2
 
Final
Sunday, 13 June, 18:00: Winner M1 – Winner M2

Visit the EHF Champions League Men website for more information.