As of: October 14, 2025 8:27 a.m
How well did the German handball record champion THW Kiel digest the derby defeat in Flensburg? Today the “Zebras” are visiting Montpellier HB for the start of the European League.
How quickly the situation can change. Just ten days ago everything at THW Kiel looked so splendid. With 12:0 points, the record champions were in the Bundesliga table where they prefer to be – at the top. And then came two games that, taken together, sowed doubts about whether the “Zebras” would win the German championship this season.
First the home game against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen, in which a point could only be saved through a show of strength in the last five minutes. And then above all the 113th state derby at SG Flensburg-Handewitt, which was already lost well before the final siren. In the Bundesliga, THW is now only fourth with 13:3 points.
Video:
Handball derby: Flensburg and Kiel in a duel between eternal rivals (3 min)
At the start the biggest hurdle in the preliminary round
Maybe it’s a good thing that Kiel now has another competition, the European League, coming up – even if the start is tough. THW coach Filip Jicha’s team starts today (6.45 p.m./in the NDR Livecenter) in Group B at Montpellier Handball in the south of France. Then follow the games against KPR Ostrovia Ostrow Wielkopolski from Poland and BSV Bern from Switzerland.
At the start, the biggest hurdle in the preliminary round – this is the situation for the THW. Once again, the lots brought the two teams together. This was already the case in the 2022/2023 season, when Kiel prevailed at home in the quarter-finals of the Champions League thanks to “a magical night”. After a 30:39 defeat in the first leg in Montpellier, they scored 31:21 in the home arena.
THW failed in the semi-finals last season against Montpellier
And the paths of the two teams also crossed in the previous season, but this time in the European League and this time with a bad outcome for the “Zebras”. Last May, the THW failed in the semi-finals of the Final Four in Hamburg against the French – which also meant that their dream final against Flensburg-Handewitt was shattered.
“The duels with Montpellier are slowly developing into a real classic in European competition,” said THW managing director Viktor Szilagyi: “This is certainly the most attractive and most demanding opponent for us that would have been possible.”
Montpellier undefeated in the domestic league
For THW defense specialist Veron Nacinovic it will be a return to his old place of work. Before moving to THW last summer, the Croatian played for Montpellier for four years. His former team is doing very well in the first French league so far. Coach Erick Mathé’s team is still unbeaten after six matchdays and is only in second place in the table behind Paris Saint-Germain due to a goal difference that is one goal less.
Only the group winners advance directly
In the European League, the top two teams in the eight preliminary round groups reach the main round. In that one, the winners of the four groups advance directly to the quarter-finals. The second and third placed teams play in play-offs against the four other participants in the round of the best eight clubs.
Final Four again in Hamburg
The Final Four is for the weekend of March 30th/31st. The event is scheduled for May 2026 and, like last year, will be held in Hamburg. For the triumph in the European League there is at least 100,000 euros, the loser of the final receives 75,000 euros, the third place gets 50,000 euros and the fourth place gets 25,000 euros. Four German teams are taking part this season. In addition to THW Kiel, these are SG Flensburg-Handewitt, TSV Hannover-Burgdorf and MT Melsungen.
