AUDIO: THW Kiel loses the final of the European League – a bankruptcy with consequences (1 min)
Handball
As of: June 1, 2026 11:40 a.m
No European League title, no Champions League: THW Kiel lost the final of the Final Four, SG Flensburg-Handewitt already failed in the semi-finals. For the two top Schleswig-Holstein clubs, the tournament in Hamburg was the final nightmare of a titleless season.
The MT Melsungen players hugged each other in jubilation, lifted the trophy and frenetically celebrated the first title in the club’s history with the enthusiastic fans. While the SG Flensburg-Handewitt had already left the Hamburger Volkspark with a set of bronze medals, the THW Kiel players followed the award ceremony up close and with empty looks.
The Hessian success in the European League was a nightmare for both Schleswig-Holstein top clubs. They had to collectively bury their hopes of the lucrative Champions League. “I feel a lot of pain,” said THW coach Filip Jicha.
Jicha: “My players fought like lions”
The German record champions crashed particularly brutally on Sunday. With around 2,000 fans behind them, the “Zebras” threw themselves into an intense final in which it was clear that the opponents were not only interested in the title, but also in the Champions League ticket offered by the European Handball Federation EHF. Few goals, instead many tough duels – in the end the THW lost 23:24 against MT Melsungen. “I’m proud of my players, they fought like lions,” said Jicha.
With Eric Johansson’s last almost hopeless throw attempt and the final whistle, his team’s first titleless season in eight years was perfect. In addition, the uncertain international future left the people of Kiel in a state of shock. “With the possible Champions League qualification, we and the three other participants in the Final Four received a bonus from the EHF in the last few weeks,” said THW managing director Viktor Szilagyi. “Now we haven’t achieved our last goal of the season either, and we have to wait and see what our fifth place in the Bundesliga means.”
Kiel not participating internationally for the first time in 33 years?
As things stand, THW Kiel will not take part in any of the international competitions for the first time in 33 years. Melsungen will most likely accompany the German champions SC Magdeburg and the Füchse Berlin in the Champions League, which will be expanded from September. The question mark disappears when the Berliners definitely finish second in the Bundesliga.
With two game days to go, the Füchse are two points and 59 goals ahead of the Flensburgers and are playing at MT Melsungen on Thursday. The constellation is paradoxical, because with a home defeat the Hessians would secure a “royal” future in the highest club competition.
Back door for the THW?
According to the EHF, the Bundesliga will only get three places in the also reformed European League next season instead of the last four. They would receive SG Flensburg-Handewitt, VfL Gummersbach and Bergische HC, the surprise runner-up in the DHB Cup. Kiel would come away empty-handed – unless a back door opens somewhere and somehow.
At the weekend there was a lot of discussion between officials and experts about the exact regulations and speculation about eventualities. There will probably only be final certainty when the EHF publishes the seeding lists for the next season at the end of June.
“It could be the start of something new”
Either way: the final drama was the emotional low point of a messed up season for the Kiel team. “Even if it hurts a lot, this can all be the start of something new,” explained Jicha defiantly. “We are already in the middle of a change – and it continues.”
The German national player Julian Köster and the Slovenian playmaker Domen Makuc are coming to the new season, and from 2027 the THW will have another promising player in Justus Fischer. The new additions should take Kiel to a new level from the summer, but the road back to the top is rocky. Magdeburg and also the Füchse Berlin currently seem to be a bit ahead of the game. And so Rune Dahmke spoke of a “package pain. Champions League qualification was above all else. That would have meant a lot to the club and to us and the city.”
Another setback for Flensburg
SG Flensburg-Handewitt will definitely be going into their 32nd European Cup season in a row. At the weekend the mood in the Northern Lights camp was also bad. Just six days after the Stuttgart defeat, the second devastating setback was the 30:37 defeat in the semi-final against Melsungen. “We are throwing away the Champions League ticket twice in one week,” said a disappointed SG managing director Holger Glandorf.
Can SG coach Pajovic continue?
The collapse immediately after the break was particularly blatant. Melsungen put on an offensive gala against an unstable defense and scored a whopping 22 goals. “If you try everything but nothing works, you become more and more nervous,” said Ales Pajovic. Immediately afterwards, the Flensburg coach was asked into the dressing room for a meeting. It will be interesting to see whether the Slovenian will be able to fulfill his contract, which runs until 2027.
“This weekend was a double disappointment because the title and the Champions League qualification didn’t work out,” said Pajovic. “We will analyze everything after the season and do better next season.”
Then Johannes Golla will no longer be there. “We didn’t win a title, but overall we were more stable this season,” said the captain. After eight years in the far north, he is moving to, of all places, MT Melsungen – and thus most likely to the “premier class” of handball players.
