HSG Blomberg-Lippe take on Danish side Ikast Håndbold — the 2023 champions — in the first semi-final on Saturday, before another German team, Thüringer HC, battle it out with JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball from France for the second spot in Sunday’s final.
SEMI-FINALS
HSG Blomberg-Lippe (GER) vs Ikast Håndbold (DEN)
Saturday 3 May, 15:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- Blomberg are the only group winners who advanced from the quarter-finals, where they defeated Super Amara Bera Bera from Spain on a penalty shootout
- the German side is one of two teams, alongside Dijon, that made it to Graz after starting their season in the first qualification round
- Blomberg played in a European semi-final once before — in the Challenge Cup 16 years ago, which was their debut international season
- left back Nieke Kühne is the competition’s second-best scorer, with 60 goals from the start of the group phase
- the semi-final marks the first time that Blomberg meet Ikast, the only EHF Finals 2025 participants who have won European trophies in the past — most recently the EHF European League two seasons ago
- the Danish side eyes the eighth European trophy in the club’s history, having also won both the EHF Cup and the Challenge Cup twice, and the Champions Trophy and City Cup once
- Ikast finished their group as runners-up behind SCM Ramnicu Valcea before edging out another team from Romania, H.C. Dunarea Braila, in the quarter-finals by a single goal on aggregate
- one of their standout performers is Swedish international Jamina Roberts, who joined Ikast from Vipers Kristiansand during the group phase in January