Four exciting doubleheaders were completed over the past two weekends in the DELO EHF Champions League, with four teams heading to Budapest, Hungary for the final showdown of the European premium competition.

Reigning champions Győri Audi ETO KC are back in the DELO EHF FINAL4, after extending their record-breaking run in the competition to 55 unbeaten games. The Hungarian powerhouse, who have won the competition five times, dispatched rivals Buducnost with two wins, taking a commanding 54:40 aggregate win, including a clear 30:19 win in the first leg in Podgorica.

The biggest surprise took place in Russia, as Group 1 winners Rostov-Don had no answer for two dazzling displays from Vipers Kristiansand. The Norwegian side are back in the DELO EHF FINAL4 after finishing third two seasons ago, despite playing both legs in Rostov due to the current health regulations in Norway. Welcoming back right back Nora Mork and line player Heidi Loke in the line-up, Vipers did not concede a loss against the Russian favourites, taking a 57:50 aggregate win. With Anna Vyakhireva not featuring for Rostov due to an injury, Mork and Loke ran rampant, combining for 24 goals in the two legs, securing a superb DELO EHF FINAL4 berth.

In the French derby, Brest Bretagne Handball confirmed their domination over Metz Handball this season with a 60:50 aggregate win. With four wins and one draw in five games this season against Metz, Brest relied heavily on the DELO EHF Champions League top scorer Ana Gros, who put 14 goals past her former team over the two legs. With the comprehensive win, Brest have secured their first-ever DELO EHF FINAL4 berth.

Another rookie this season, Russian side CSKA, progressed to Budapest after 120 nail-biting minutes of handball against CSM Bucuresti. The Romanian powerhouse led by as many as nine goals in the first leg, which they won by five in the end (32:27) and also boasted a three-goal lead in the first half of the second leg. A complete collapse in attack saw CSM left hanging, as CSKA took a 24:19 win, progressing to the last act of the European premium competition due to the away-goals rule, as the tie ended in a 51:51 aggregate stalemate.

Győr look to be the overwhelming favourites to take their sixth DELO EHF Champions League title with their depth and experience speaking volumes against their three opponents. In fact, Győr have won 175 DELO EHF Champions League games, three times more than Vipers, Brest and CSKA combined.

In 10 games played in the DELO EHF FINAL4 in Budapest, Győr have won nine times, losing only once – the 2015/16 final against CSM Bucuresti – in a penalty shoot-out, 29:26.

The seventh edition of the DELO EHF FINAL4 will take place on 29 and 30 May in Budapest, with the draw for the semi-finals scheduled for Tuesday 13 April at 17:30 CEST in the Hungarian capital.

Visit the DELO EHF Champions League website for more information. 

Photo: CSM Bucuresti