Side 1 - copy - Flipbook - Side 3
Foreword EHF President
Dear handball friends,
Four more rounds of thrilling group phase action!
The Machineseeker EHF Champions League 2024/25 is ready for four more rounds of
thrilling group phase action as the competition returns from its winter break and the
2025 IHF World Championship. Many players from the topflight clubs have been
representing their national teams over the past few weeks. Players from world
champions Denmark, runners-up Croatia, bronze medallists France, semi-finalists
Portugal and other nations that impressed handball fans worldwide are now eager to
continue the club season in Europe’s premium competition when play resumes on
12/13 February.
After 10 of the 14 rounds in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League group phase,
both groups have a runaway leader who opened a four-point gap. In group A, One
Veszprém HC won nine of their 10 matches and have a significant head start when
the race to the quarter-final and play-off spots heats up in the last four rounds. With
Paris Saint-Germain Handball, Sporting CP, and Füchse Berlin, three teams find
themselves close together on the next three positions, followed by Dinamo Bucuresti.
Lower down the table, HC Eurofarm Pelister, Orlen Wisla Plock and European
debutants Fredericia Håndbold Klub will likely battle it out for the last play-off berth
in this group.
Over in group B, record and defending champions Barça have proved that their hunger
for success has not been stilled by any means. Boasting a four-point lead going into
the last four rounds, they are followed by three teams which are separated by just a
single point, setting up a breathtaking finish to the group phase: HBC Nantes, Aalborg
Håndbold, and OTP Bank - PICK Szeged. The second part of the table promises just
as much excitement, as Industria Kielce, SC Magdeburg, Kolstad Håndbold and HC
Zagreb are heading into a close battle for play-off spots, with only two teams making
the cut.
The stage is set for an enthralling finish to the group phase, and fans cannot wait to
closely follow their favourite teams and players as the race to the Machineseeker EHF
Champions League knockout phase is truly on.
Michael Wiederer
EHF President
