With furious handball
German champion storms into the Champions League final
14.06.2025 – 5:59 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
After the championship last weekend, the Foxes Berlin are facing the next big title. Through a clear victory, they are in the final of the “premier class”.
Long without their most important players, but still outstanding: The Foxes Berlin qualified with a dominant appearance for the final of the handball champions League. The German champion prevailed with 34:24 (18:12) against HBC Nantes – despite an early red card against back area player and superstar Mathias Gidsel.
In the final on Sunday (from 6 p.m. at DAZN and Dyn), the Berliners meet either SC Magdeburg or FC Barcelona. If Magdeburg prevailed, the third purely German finale in the history of the competition would come.
Berlin manager Bob Hanning emphasized after the game at Dyn: “Mathias Gidsel has an outstanding role with us, but we are not just Mathias Gidsel. The team solved it with flying colors.”
Gidsel had already been put off the pitch in the ninth minute after slipping out and brought down the Spaniard Kauldi Odriozola by tackling. According to the video images, the Icelandic referee duo decided on red. Gidel took a seat behind the goal next to Hanning and buried his face in the jersey.
Even without their Bundesliga MVP, the Berliners showed a ripe performance in front of 20,074 spectators in the sold-out Lanxess Arena. Tim Freihofer was the best thrower of his team with ten goals. In the goal, Dejan Milosavljev convinced with numerous parades – he was able to ward off around 40 percent of the throws on his goal.
Berlin set off early on: at 6: 3 (7th minute) the club was first with three goals. Nantes, even with ambitions on the first Champions League title, had a nervous effect and left several overpayment situations unused. The lead of the foxes grew to six goals until the break.
Even after the change of sides, the foxes remained dominant. Nantes was outnumbered early, Berlin further expanded the lead. Nils Lichtin, as well as Fabian Wiede, who represented Gidsel. At 22:14 (36th) the preliminary decision was made. Trainer Jaron Siewert was able to distribute the stress over several shoulders – an important factor with a view to the final.
Gidsel will be eligible to play again on Sunday. For him, this gives himself the opportunity to crown his already impressive season with another title. Siewert could also write history: At the age of 31, he would be the youngest coach who has ever wins the Champions League.