“One of the greatest experiences of my career”
Foxes Berlin celebrate magical champions League night
Updated on April 25th, 2025 – 00:49Reading time: 3 min.
In the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, the Foxes Berlin initially looked for a bankruptcy. But then the team put on a rapid comeback.
The Foxes Berlin set an exclamation mark in the race for the final Four of the Champions League. In the first leg of the quarter -finals, the Bundesliga team significantly defeated the Danish champion Aalborg Håndbold with 37:29 (14:15) and thus gained a promising starting point for the second leg next Wednesday.
In front of 8,520 spectators in the Max-Schmeling-Halle, however, the hosts did not get a good start. Back room player Fabian Wiede returned to the squad after the injury has survived, but initially took a seat on the bench. The other Berliners initially acted nervously. Several technical errors shaped the initial phase, in which they fell behind early.
The foxes’ series of attacks, usually one of the most dangerous in the Bundesliga, struggled against the stable defensive of the guests for a long time. Aalborg’s goalkeeper Niklas Landin parried several times, so that the deficit of the Berliners in the meantime grew to six goals (7: 13/18 minute). “You realized that we were a bit nervous,” Mijajlo Marsenić analyzed the initial phase after the game.
Foxes coach Jaron Siewert reacted with personnel changes-among other things, Lasse Ludwig was used in goal. The measures were fruitful: With a 5: 1 run, the Berliners fought their way back into play until half-time. “As soon as we had a little relaxed, everything was fine. We know how good we are all and then we clearly showed it in the second half,” said Marsenić.
In fact: Immediately after the restart, the foxes equalized and took the lead for the first time in the 34th minute (18:17). From then on, the team played with significantly more speed – too much for the defensive of the Danes. More and more gaps emerged that used the foxes ice cold. Now goalkeeper Landin hardly got a hand on the ball and was even replaced in the final phase. However, the measure was unsuccessful.
In the 44th minute, Marsenić saw the red card after three time and the returnee Wiede also had to get off the square a few seconds before the end of the second half. At that time, however, the game was decided. The best thrower on the side of the foxes was Mathias Gidsel with eleven goals, closely followed by Tim Freihofer, who scored nine goals. “I said before the game, a quarter -finals are decided with one or two goals,” said Gidsel, surprised, whether the clear victory. “The fact that we get such an eight-goal lead for next week is absolutely incredible.”
The world handball player went even further: “I think it is one of the greatest experiences of my career here in the Max Schmeling-Halle.” Before the game, coach Siewert announced that the team had to play “The Game of Life”, he recalled. “I don’t think we did it in the first half, but in the second half it was just incredible,” enthused Gidel from his team and even went so far to call his team as “the best team in the world” at home games.
In the second leg next Wednesday, there was already a big break -in to give the final Four down. “A victory with eight goals in the first leg against Aalborg speaks for itself, but we will not think that the second game is already over, but we drive to Aalborg to win again,” announced Marsenić.