The SC Magdeburg handball players have reached the finals of the four best teams in the European League on their way to successfully defending their title.
The Bundesliga leader prevailed in the second leg against the French representative HBC Nantes with 30:28 (16:12) after the SCM had already won the first leg with 28:25.
The final tournament takes place on the last weekend of May (28/29 May). The location has not yet been determined.
Magdeburg is the only Bundesliga representative in the finals after three clubs were in the Final Four in 2021. In the past 17 editions of the competition, the winner was only once not from Germany.
In contrast to Magdeburg, last year’s finalist Füchse Berlin and TBV Lemgo from the Bundesliga trio that started the current competition failed in the round of 16. This year’s final round is completed by top Portuguese club Benfica Lisbon, Croatian team RK Nexe and last year’s Polish semi-finalist Wisla Plock.
Damgaard Nielsen towers over with twelve goals
Magdeburg let nothing burn against Nantes after the first leg success. The hosts ensured a reassuring lead early on and managed to keep their lead through the laps unchallenged.
The Danish international Michael Damgaard Nielsen with twelve goals was by far the outstanding thrower in SCM coach Bennet Wiegert’s team. The German international Tim Hornke contributed four goals. For the French, the Portuguese Pedro Portela was the top scorer with five goals.
By making it into the final round, Magdeburg kept its chances of winning the title in two competitions. The Elbe city-dwellers are at the top of the Bundesliga with very good prospects of winning the championship. Magdeburg missed their first title opportunity in the cup final the weekend before last against champions THW Kiel.