Pure handball excitement: Flensburg wants to shine in the EHF European League!

Pure handball excitement: Flensburg wants to shine in the EHF European League!

Today, November 25, 2025, the first big duels in the group phase of the EHF European League are coming up, and the anticipation couldn't be greater. There are four German clubs in action in this exciting phase of the tournament: THW Kiel, MT Melsungen, TSV Hannover-Burgdorf and SG Flensburg-Handewitt. These teams have already achieved an excellent starting position, as three of them are already safely in the main round. Only SG Flensburg-Handewitt would like to dispel any last doubts when they play against the French club St. Raphael this afternoon. How will the Cologne Arena feel when the spectators cheer on their teams?

But it's not just Flensburg that has big plans. MT Melsungen also welcomes Swedish club Karlskrona at home. THW Kiel plays against Ostrovia Ostrow Wielkopolski, while TSV Hannover-Burgdorf welcomes Fredericia HK. The games will be broadcast live by Dyn under sublicense, the rights holder is DAZN, and kick-off will take place at two kick-off times: 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. The fans can look forward to an exciting handball evening and to supporting their favorite teams.

Flensburg on course for the title

Eurohandball's source shows that SG Flensburg-Handewitt is undefeated so far in this impressive European League season. The team shows its strength with 11 wins and 2 draws, the only draw being against Toulouse. It could even be historic if Flensburg becomes the first club to defend the European League title after beating Füchse Berlin in the final last year. Who would have thought that a German club could hold the title so confidently?

But Montpellier is also a competitor that must be taken seriously. With 12 wins in 12 games, and only one defeat against GOG, Montpellier represents a big challenge. Flensburg's record against Montpellier shows 6 wins for Flensburg, 3 defeats and 3 draws. And history could repeat itself, as Montpellier had already eliminated Flensburg in the quarter-finals of the EHF Champions League in 2018.

The important placement game

For Kiel and Melsungen, the balance of power is at stake. The placement game for 3rd place takes place just 90 minutes after today's encounter between Flensburg and St. Raphael. Kiel has an impressive record against Melsungen with 32 wins from 54 matches, while the Melsungen team also won two Bundesliga games against Kiel this season. Melsungen is also led by Ian Barrufet, who only needs one goal to become the top scorer of the season.

But it's not just the sporting success that concerns us. Patrick Wiencek from Kiel will end his career after this season, and so this match will be an emotional affair for him too. One can only imagine how symbolic this last international game will be for him.

Rankings and competitive changes

The strength of the European handball teams is determined by the EHF rankings which shows how the clubs have performed so far and how they can qualify for future competitions. This ranking is updated annually and takes into account performances from the last three seasons. The changes to the ranking system are intended to ensure that clubs no longer benefit from Champions League results when playing in the European League. The sport of handball in Europe is developing and always offers new challenges.

Will the teams today be able to withstand the pressure and achieve the successes they hope for? That will become clear soon, and the fans should look forward to tireless handball action!