Crucial matches expected in next-to-last round
The EHF Champions League Women 2024/25 enters a decisive phase with the penultimate round. In group A, with play-off spots still up for grabs, Storhamar Handball Elite and CS Gloria 2018 BN will aim for crucial wins against CSM Bucuresti and the unbeaten Metz Handball, respectively. FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria are looking to continue their dominance against Podravka Vegeta, while Krim Mercator Ljubljana hope to extend their winning streak against Nykøbing Falster Håndbold.
The Danish derby in the MOTW between Team Esbjerg and Odense Håndbold will likely decide the quarter-finalists in group B of this season’s EHF Champions League Women, while Györi Audi ETO KC aim to extend their winning run against HB Ludwigsburg in the rematch of the last final.
The last home match of the group stage awaits us this weekend against the Hungarian team, who is truly the top of women's handball. I believe that if every player gives her all on the court, we can compete, as we have shown in th previous matches. We are looking forward to the match and expect as many spectators as possible.
It will be our last game at home in the group phase, but it has been such an experience to participate in the Champions League for the first time. We will keep fighting until the end because the chances to advance to the next stage are still alive. As long as we have a chance, we’ll never give up.
This week has certainly been easier than all the previous ones. Mentally, of course. After a string of defeats, we needed this win. Especially at this time, at the end of the group stage. Two rounds to go. We will give our best in both games. Both games are very important because we want to finish as high as we can.
It's an important match for the rest of the competition. A win would allow us to finish in the top four of the group, which would be a good thing considering the group and what's to come. We're going to recover well from our big game on Wednesday before quickly concentrating on this match against Buducnost. We want to finish this group phase well, where we've been solid from the start. We've got two big points to pick up on Saturday.
Normally we don't know our opponents that well as we do in Sunday's game. It can be an advantage and it can also be the opposite. But we know what we have to do when we meet Esbjerg and especially at home we have shown that we can beat them. It requires a disciplined game with very few mistakes.
Ludwigsburg are in a really, really good shape. They actually outplayed Esbjerg for 30 minutes, where the home team saved the draw. But they played fantastic handball, also against Brest. They came without fear and also had a big lead in the first half and then they won the game. So I would like to say that Ludwigsburg right now are maybe the team in the best shape. They are dangerous in all positions.
