AUDIO: SG captain Golla before the second leg against Hannover: “It’s actually a final” (1 min)
European League
As of: May 4, 2026 3:56 p.m
Who will get the ticket for the Final Four in the European League – TSV Hannover-Burgdorf or SG Flensburg-Handewitt? The quarter-final second leg will take place in Hanover on Tuesday (6.45 p.m.). Defending champion Flensburg is threatened with elimination after the draw in the first leg.
If the two clubs’ chances of reaching the Final Four in Hamburg on May 30th and 31st had been put into a percentage ratio before the first leg, it would probably have been 70:30 in favor of the defending champions. How one game can change a lot.
After the 39:39 in Flensburg it is completely open who will prevail in the German duel. The chances of who will secure the ticket for the final weekend in the second most important European competition are now 50:50.
“Recken” beckons the first semi-final in the European Cup
The “Recken” have a historic opportunity in the game on Tuesday evening (6.45 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter) in their own arena. If they manage to win – whether in regular time or from a penalty throw immediately following a draw after 60 minutes – they would move into the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time. TSV completed the first part of the difficult task against SG, which has won the European League twice in a row, in a convincing manner.
From the position of outsiders, the Lower Saxony team offered a convincing performance last Wednesday. And even if it could have been a win with one or two goals, TSV are happy with the starting position. “We have to continue to be so humble and focused. We want to improve our defense, especially with a view to Tuesday. That’s the key to our game. We’ll keep going and keep working,” said TSV coach Juan Carlos Pastor.
SG had no games at the weekend, TSV lost away
The SG had an easier time preparing for the quarter-final second leg. While the “Recken” played against Bergischen HC in the Bundesliga on Sunday and lost 29:30, the Flensburg team has been able to concentrate exclusively on the second quarter-final duel since the first leg.
The Bundesliga game at SC Magdeburg, which was actually scheduled for Sunday, was postponed to May 21st at the request of the SCM. The designated champions had asked not to have to play another match between the two important quarter-final games in the Champions League against Pick Szeged (Hungary).
Flensburgers dream of a title treble
SG coach Ales Pajovic assumes that, like in the first leg, it will be a close affair. “Of course we would have candidates for a seven-meter throw, but I don’t hope that it comes to that,” said the 47-year-old. “We are very well prepared and want to be present from now on to deliver our best performance.” The title treble is Flensburg’s big goal. Qualification for the Champions League could also be achieved through the league. The SG is currently in the necessary second place in the table.
It’s a shame that things didn’t go as planned in the first duel in our own arena, but it can’t be changed. Before the task in Hanover, Pajovic is trying to convey confidence: “We have a top team in which the players are used to dealing with pressure.”
