The EHF European League kicks off its group stage at the end of September. There’s a new format, but SG Flensburg-Handewitt has the same old goal: to return to Hamburg, where the EHF Finals—featuring the competition’s top four teams—will be held for the fourth time.
The three home games of the group stage have been scheduled: On Wednesday, September 30, at 6:45 p.m., Fraikin BM Granollers will visit the GGW Arena. This team is a true veteran of European handball. The club boasts 61 years of top-flight status but is approaching the upcoming season with humility. Before last season, Fraikin BM Granollers underwent a major overhaul and finished third in the Asobal League—just behind La Rioja. In the EHF European League, the Spanish team failed to secure a single victory in the main round. “We’re under pressure to improve on last season’s results,” says 38-year-old captain Adrià Figueras. In general, Fraikin BM Granollers relies heavily on young talent. The backcourt is teeming with a whole host of interesting young Spanish handball players. Only playmaker Bruno Reguart, who briefly played for TVB Stuttgart, has a bit more experience. The coach is the team’s constant: Antonio Rama played for Granollers as a child and began coaching at an early age.
“Wolves” from Romania
On Tuesday, October 13, at 8:45 p.m., the team faces off against ACS HC Buzău. The city of Buzău, with a population of 100,000, is located in the southeastern foothills of the Romanian Carpathians. The club is nicknamed “The Wolves.” The handball players are still a young pack; the club was only formed in 2012. After being promoted to the top division in 2018, the team initially struggled to avoid relegation but eventually moved up into the upper echelons of the league. In 2024, a key appointment underscored Buzău’s pioneering spirit: Serhiy Bebeshko became the new head coach. The 58-year-old Spanish citizen with Ukrainian roots can look back on an impressive athletic career. In 1992, he won Olympic gold as a player. Under Serhiy Bebeshko, HC Buzău reached new heights. In the spring of 2025, the team secured third place in the standings. As a result, the Romanian up-and-comer competed internationally for the first time and advanced to the quarterfinals of the EHF European Cup. The roster can be described as extremely experienced; after all, ten players are 30 years old or older.
Talent Factory from Portugal
On Tuesday, November 24, they’ll face Aguas Santas Milaneza at 6:45 p.m. Located not far from the city of Porto, the Aguas Santas Milaneza club has made a name for itself thanks to its excellent youth development program. The club’s philosophy is based on integrating young players directly into the first team before they move on to Portugal’s top three clubs—FC Porto, Sporting CP, and Benfica—or abroad. Luís Frade, João Gomes, Gonçalo Vieira, and Miguel Martins are just a few of the well-known handball players who trained at the Aguas Santas academy. Because of this approach, almost all of the players are from Portugal. The only exception is the young Cuban pivot Jorge Guerra. Another result of this approach is that the average age is low. Only four players are older than 25.