Eight teams ready for last step ahead of EHF FINAL4

One team for sure will make their debut in Budapest, as SG BBM Bietigheim face Odense Håndbold. A true classic in Budapest over the last years, the tie between Györi Audi ETO KC and Vipers Kristiansand will now be played in the quarter-finals. CSM Bucuresti also aim to qualify for the EHF FINAL4 for the first time since 2018 when they face Metz Handball.

QUARTER-FINALS, 1ST LEG

FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN)
Saturday 27 April, 16:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

• FTC have the largest number of losses of the teams still in competition: nine; still, they made the quarter-finals with a 59:56 aggregate win against Brest
• Esbjerg qualified for the quarter-finals by securing the second place in group B with 22 points, the same as group winners Metz
• FTC right back Katrin Klujber is the second-best scorer still in competition with 91 goals; Norwegian backs Nora Mørk (81 goals) and Henny Reistad (76 goals) are the top scorers for Esbjerg
• Esbjerg are looking for their third consecutive EHF FINAL4 appearance, while FTC can make it back-to-back appearances in the business end of the competition
• the Danish side won both their duels when the teams met in the group phase: 27:23 and 33:28

Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Saturday 27 April, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

• Györ’s new coach, Per Johansson, will make his debut for Györ in the EHF Champions League Women, after replacing Ulrik Kirkely in March
• the two sides have met twice in the EHF FINAL4 in the past two seasons, with Vipers taking two wins – once in the semi-finals, once in the final
• the Norwegian side has the top scorer of the competition in their roster: right back Anna Vyakhireva, who has scored 103 goals
• Györ have conceded the lowest number of losses this season (two) and had the highest number of points in the group phase (23)
• on the other hand, Vipers have won only eight of their 16 matches so far, conceding six losses, the largest amount in any CL season for the Norwegian side

SG BBM Bietigheim (GER) vs Odense Håndbold (DEN)
Sunday 28 April, 14:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

• the German side qualified for the quarter-finals after narrowly beating Ikast Handbold 60:58 on aggregate in the play-offs, thank to a home victory in the first leg
• Odense qualified directly from the second place in group A with 10 wins, one draw and three defeats
• Karolina-Kudlacz-Gloc is Bietigheim’s top scorer with 76 goals; Maren Aardahl leads for Odense with 71
• Bietigheim has the leading goalkeeper of the competition: Gabriela Moreschi has168 saves in 15 matches (32 per cent efficiency)
• Bietigheim won five out of eight matches on their home court this season, while their opponents were efficient away with five victories out of seven matches
• Odense have won all four previous duels with Bietigheim

CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Metz Handball (FRA)
Sunday 28 April, 16:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

• CSM eased into the quarter-finals with a 12-goal aggregate win over Krim in the play-offs, winning both legs 30:24
• Metz came out on top of group B with 11 wins and three defeats and qualified directly for the quarter-finals
• Metz had the second-best attack of the group phase, netting 470 times or 33.57 goal per game
• Metz’s Sarah Bouktit was the competition’s top scorer after the group phase, with 89 goals; CSM’s Cristina Neagu is only one goal behind at 88
• both goalkeepers, Hatadou Sako (Metz) and Laura Glauser (CSM), have had strong performances with 36 and 34 per cent save efficiency in the competition
• the teams also met in the 2018/19 quarter-finals, with Metz winning 54:48 on aggregate
• in domestic play this week, CSM had no problem against SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea (41:34), just like Metz against Stella Saint Maur (37:19)

photos © 2024 Terje Refsnes, Raluca Malnasi