Eight sides are still alive in the EHF Champions League Women and the four quarter-finals doubleheaders will now send four teams in the EHF FINAL4, due to take place in the MVM Dome in Budapest on 31 May and 1 June.

There are surely many stories behind every doubleheader, but one of the most interesting ones originate from the CSM Bucuresti vs Team Esbjerg tie. The two sides meet in the quarter-finals for the third time in four years, with Esbjerg progressing each time in the past two seasons.

However, this season will be special for CSM – which did not qualify for the EHF FINAL4 since 2018 – and for Cristina Neagu, the only player who has won the IHF Female Player of the Year trophy four times, who will retire at the end of the season.

Neagu, the all-time top scorer of the EHF Champions League Women, with 1221 goals, has won the competition only once, in 2015, with Montenegrin side Buducnost.

The match also sees the battle between the top two scorers of the season in the EHF Champions League Women. The leader is the 2023 and 2024 IHF Female Player of the Year, Henny Reistad, who has 122 goals, while CSM’s Elizabeth Omoregie has scored 103 goals.

Another interesting tie is the French derby between Brest Bretagne Handball and Metz Handball. The French champions, Metz, have won eight of the last 10 mutual matches against Brest, and are aiming for their third appearance at the EHF FINAL4 in the last four years.

The French side are also the only undefeated team so far this season, having won 13 matches and drawing another one, looking to be one of the favourites of the season, as they have never won a title yet in the European premium competition.

Star-studded reigning champions Györi Audi ETO KC will face HB Ludwigsburg, in a tie where they will be overwhelming favourites, as the Hungarian side have won 12 of their 14 matches so far, lost a single one and have conceded the lowest number of goals.

On the other hand, Ludwigsburg have finished fifth in their group, conceded eight losses in their 16 matches so far and look to be clear outsiders, just like they were in the previous season’s final, when they finished as runners-up behind Györ.

The last quarter-final will be the one between Danish powerhouse Odense Håndbold and Hungarian champions FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria.

FTC, which have the 2024 IHF Young Female Player of the Year, Petra Simon, in their ranks, will try to help their teammate, Andrea Lekic, secure her second EHF Champions League Women trophy, after the one won in 2013 with Györ. The Serbian centre back has announced her retirement at the end of the season.

While Odense have never qualified to the EHF FINAL4, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria are aiming for their second appearance after the one in the 2022/23 season, when they finished as runners-up. The Hungarian side also has its best season so far in history in the EHF Champions League Women, with 12 wins.

The quarter-finals’ first leg will take place on 19 and 20 April, with the second leg scheduled one week later, on 26 and 27 April.

Quarter-finals

Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) vs Metz Handball (FRA)
HB Ludwigsburg (GER) vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN)
CSM București (ROU) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN)