As of: October 14, 2025 8:28 a.m
Today SG Flensburg-Handewitt starts the Handball European League against Saint-Raphael VHB. In the last two seasons, the Schleswig-Holstein team won the trophy in Europe’s second most important competition. Can you achieve the title treble?
It was spring. And Flensburg is once again in excellent European Cup form. Kevin Möller held furiously, Lukas Jörgensen, Lasse Möller and Emil Jakobsen scored almost at will.
SG Flensburg-Handewitt played against Montpellier HB in Hamburg on this evening of May 25, 2025 and defended their title in the European League with a 32:25 win. Afterwards the champagne flowed freely and the team and fans celebrated a long night of partying.
SG starts the European League against Saint-Raphael
So much for the beautiful memories from SG’s point of view, the – in French – “souvenirs”. The new season of the European League begins on Tuesday with the game against the French team Saint-Raphael VHB (8.45 p.m.) – and with that we look at the present and the future.
The goal from Flensburg’s perspective: to lift the European League trophy again like in the last two seasons.
And to the question: Will Flensburg manage the European Cup hat-trick? In any case, one thing is clear: it will be a long journey that, if it goes well, will last until next spring.
Three opponents – three unknowns
First of all, the SG is challenged six times in the preliminary round on a Tuesday evening until the beginning of December. Flensburg has to break a lot of new ground because they have never played against any of their three opponents in the preliminary round. The biggest question mark is behind AHC Potaissa Turda.
The SG has already been to Bucharest and Constanta in Romania, but never to Transylvania. Because that’s exactly where the city of Turda, with its 40,000 inhabitants, is located. “This club has established itself as number two in Romania behind Dinamo Bucharest, but will have a hard time reaching the main round,” says Catalin Haidu. The young Romanian is a goalkeeper for the Flensburg U19.
SG’s start against Saint-Raphael
The start is today (8.45 p.m.) in our own hall against the French team from Saint-Raphael VHB, against whom SG newcomer Kent Robin Tönnesen has played several times with Paris in the last two years. “I remember a small hall where we had to run a lot,” says the Norwegian left-hander.
“Saint Raphael plays at a very high pace,” explains the 34-year-old, whose contract extension was announced on Saturday. The Flensburgers go into the race with the tailwind of the derby victory over THW Kiel (36:34).
“We want to show immediately that we enjoy playing in the European League.”
SG player Lasse Möller
“We have always succeeded very well in switching from the Bundesliga to the European League in recent years,” says backcourt ace Lasse Möller: “We want to show straight away that we enjoy playing in the European League.” However, the audience response on Tuesday will be completely different than it was on Saturday at the state derby. Internationally, “Hölle Nord” usually only cooks on half the heat.
Pajovic demands “full concentration”
The first international away trip of the season takes Flensburg to Bidasoa Irun on October 21st (8:45 p.m.). Even though the northern Spaniards have celebrated many successes in the last century, there has never been an encounter with the SG.
Ales Pajovic played with Ciudad Real in Irun almost 20 years ago. “But this is the handball Stone Age,” said the SG coach and laughed. But he prefers to look to the present: “We are happy with the draw. But the group will require our full concentration.”
In the main round against THW Kiel?
The two best placed teams advance to the main round. THW Kiel and Montpellier HB, the final opponents from last spring, are probably waiting there.
Final Four again in Hamburg
But it’s still too early for another champagne party in Hamburg in February. After the main round there will be a play-off round, the quarter-finals and finally the Final Four, which will again take place on the Elbe. And that – as well as the third title in a row – are the declared goal.
