Match Preview
The EHF Champions League Final Four gets underway in Cologne with an all-German semifinal between two powerhouses. Magdeburg arrive as defending champions, beating Fuchse Berlin in last year's finals.
Magdeburg Chasing Another European Crown
Magdeburg are the reigning European champions, but their performances in the group stage were not entirely convincing as they finished 2nd behind Barcelona after a three-game winless run.
Their inconsistencies and poor form disappeared in the quarterfinals, where they crushed Szeged 35-28 in the first leg in Hungary before finishing the job in front of the home crowd with a brilliant attacking display and a 45-37 victory.
Since those quarterfinals, Magdeburg have secured five consecutive victories in the German Bundesliga. Their most recent success came at Wetzlar, where they earned a 31-30 victory to finish the regular season in 1st place with 31 wins, two draws and just one defeat.
Fuchse Berlin Carried by Gidsel
Fuchse Berlin were one of the most dominant teams in the Champions League group stage, topping Group A with an impressive record of eleven victories and three defeats.
They faced a much tougher challenge in the quarterfinals, suffering a narrow 35-34 defeat against Veszprem in Hungary. Mathias Gidsel prevented a bigger loss by scoring 13 goals from 17 attempts.
The return leg in Germany was packed with drama as well. Fuchse Berlin won 31-30 in regular time to force overtime before eventually securing their place in the Final Four with a 35-33 victory.
Their Bundesliga form has also been excellent, ending the regular season with three straight victories against Eisenach 41-38, Melsungen 39-28 and Flensburg 43-38 to finish 2nd in the standings.