The European Handball Federation’s flagship international club competition, the VELUX EHF Champions League, has reached the final stage, with four semi-finalists ready to contest the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne. After winning their two-leg quarter-finals over the weekend, HC Vardar, Telekom Veszprém HC, PGE Vive Kielce and current Super Globe title holders Barça Lassa will play for the title on June 1 and 2. This year, the pinnacle event where the men’s Champions League medals are decided will see a special celebration as it is the 10th anniversary of the FINAL4 format.

In the quarter-finals played from April 24 to May 5, Polish club Kielce earned the narrowest win – and pulled off the biggest surprise. Kielce beat French team Paris Saint-Germain HB by just one goal on aggregate, 60:59. As winners of the Champions League in 2015/16, Kielce were certainly not underdogs, but as PSG had lost only one match in the entire season, and also set the record for most wins in one season (37) and the most points gained, they were strong favourites to go all the way and take their first title.

However, a commanding win, 34:24, on their home court in the first leg set Kielce on the path to the FINAL4, as they could afford to lose by up to 10 goals in the return match in Paris. PSG did take the victory in the second leg and temporarily reached the advantage required to see them clinch the semi-final berth, but in a thrilling finish, Kielce closed the gap and secured the FINAL4 ticket with a 26:35 defeat. 

The remaining quarter-finals were more decisive. 2017 victors HC Vardar from North Macedonia won their two-leg tie 56:52. It was a similar story to that between PSG and Kielce: Vardar’s opponents, MOL-Pick Szeged were one of the strongest teams in the regular season, but they could not recover from a clear loss in Skopje in the first-leg quarter-final.

Vardar claimed a 31:23 victory at home, and though Szeged won the second leg and also temporarily created the required advantage that would see them turn the result in their favour, the 29:25 win was not enough.

Both Barça and Veszprém won their quarter-finals with a 10-goal aggregate score line. Barça defeated last season’s finalists HBC Nantes 61:51 (32:25, 29:26) while Veszprém won 57:47 (28:22, 29:25) versus SG Flensburg-Handewitt. Barça are the record participants in the VELUX EHF FINAL4, reaching the event seven times in the past 10 years. They are also the record winners of the Champions League title, and now have the chance to claim their 10th trophy.

Veszprém are the only team of the four semi-finalists not to have won the competition – in fact, prior to French club Montpellier HB’s victory last season, the three previous titles were won by the other 2018/19 semi-finalists: Barça in 2014/15, Kielce in 2015/16 and Vardar in 2016/17.

 
More information can be found on the official website.

Photo: PGE Vive Kielce/ Tomasz Fąfara