Almost as soon as preseason training began, SG Flensburg-Handewitt learned who its opponents would be in the EHF European League. In Group E, the team will face Fraikin BM Granollers, ACS HC Buzau, and Águas Santas Milaneza (POR).
The only team the SG is familiar with is Fraikin BM Granollers. The SG has faced the Spanish club a total of three times, though unfortunately, their record against them is not favorable. In 1996, the historic club from the greater Barcelona area narrowly edged out the SG in the EHF Cup; a year later, the SG got its revenge. Their most recent matchup in April 2023 ended very unhappily in the quarterfinals of the EHF European League. The SG has never played against the other two clubs. ACS HC Buzau is based about 100 kilometers northeast of Bucharest and most recently finished as Romanian runner-up. Águas Santas is located in the Porto district and is one of Portugal’s handball strongholds. “It’s a manageable group,” said SG Managing Director Holger Glandorf. “Apart from Granollers, we’ve been drawn against relatively unknown teams, which is exciting. As the favorites, we should come out on top.”
The EHF European League
Schedule: 32 teams will begin their journey in the group stage, which spans six matchdays from September 29 to December 2. Exactly half of the teams from the eight groups will advance. The competition then resumes in 2027. Twelve teams from the EHF Champions League will join the fray for the playoffs. The 28 clubs will then determine the 14 teams advancing to the round of 16. Two additional teams relegated from the European top flight will “round out” this stage. This will be followed by the quarterfinals and the EHF Finals, which will once again be held in Hamburg on May 22 and 23.
Group overview:
Group A: RK Nexe (CRO), Elverum Håndball (NOR), Saint Raphaël Var Handball (FRA), Hammarby Handboll (SWE)
Group B: IRUDEK Bidasoa Irun (ESP), Limoges Handball (FRA), FH Hafnarfjordur (ISL), Marítimo da Madeira SAD (POR)
Group C: HC Izvidac (BIH), Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI), Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Handball (FRA), CSM Bucuresti (ROU)
Group D: IK Sävehof (SWE), Tatran Prešov (SVK), MRK Sesvete Triglav Osiguranje (CRO), Bergischer HC (GER)
Group E: SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER), Fraikin BM Granollers (ESP), ACS HC Buzău (ROU), Águas Santas Milaneza (POR)
Group F: Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR), HCB Karviná (CZE), Bathco BM Torrelavega (ESP), TTH Holstebro (DEN)
Group G: HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD), VfL Gummersbach (GER), Dicorpebal Logroño La Rioja (ESP), PGE Wybrzeze Gdańsk (POL)
Group H: MOL Tatabánya KC (HUN), Valur (ISL), RD LL Grosist Slovan (SLO), Mors-Thy Håndbold (DEN)