Chasing Europe's Handball Crown: Berlin's Füchse Scores for Cologne Showdown
Berlin persists in its mission to reign as Europe's premier handball power, with a crucial goal yet to be achieved in Panini competition. - Berlin strives relentlessly to secure the title of Europe's premier handball champion, with the coveted Panini trophy still within their sights.
Winner of the Bundesliga, Berlin's Füchse handball team has got its sights set on Europe's championship title. Kicking off on Tuesday, their goal is simple: securing the final spot in Cologne for the Champions League finals happening this very weekend. Bob Hanning, the team's general manager, uses the famous analogy of a Panini album, referring to the upcoming tournament as "filling in the last sticker we're missing."
Stefan Kretzschmar, the sports director, shares the enthusiasm leading up to the tournament, where Berlin faces HBC Nantes, French vice-champions, in the semifinals on Saturday. "Winning the German championship gives us that well-deserved momentum and excitement," he says. "We'd feel terrible to head into Cologne underperforming. Our dreams have come true, and now we're ready to tackle the tournament with a positive mindset."
The team's confidence is soaring high, and right back Mathias Gidsel isn't shying away from proclaiming, "We're the best team on the planet!" A key player in the fierce title race, Gidsel sealed Berlin's victory with a 38:33 score against Rhein-Neckar Löwen, barely edging out defending champions SC Magdeburg.
Gidsel's contributions have earned him high praise from Germany's national player Juri Knorr. "Mathias Gidsel is well on his way to becoming the greatest handball player of all time," praises Knorr, acknowledging household names like Mikkel Hansen and Nikola Karabatic in the sport, but confidently supporting Berlin and Magdeburg, the two German teams hunting for the Champions League trophy, "Recognized luck to both! They've got what it takes to finish victorious."
Despite having 16 seasons under his belt, veteran player Fabian Wiede dares to dream of another wild celebration, echoing the sentiment, "We've got a clue about what's ahead, but we're in great form right now. We're the best team on the planet, so I'm eagerly anticipating the tournament. I hope we'll have another title to celebrate come the end of it."
- Füchse Berlin
- Cologne
- Champions League
- Handball
- Mathias Gidsel
- Stefan Kretzschmar
- Bob Hanning
- Semifinal
- HBC Nantes
- Juri Knorr
- SC Magdeburg
- Final Four
- Tournament
Enrichment Data:
- Schedule: Füchse Berlin will face HBC Nantes in the semifinals on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 15:00 CEST. The remainder of the schedule includes:
- Semifinal 2: Barcelona vs. SC Magdeburg at 18:00 CEST on June 14, 2025
- Bronze Medal Match and Final: Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 15:00 and 18:00 CEST, respectively.
- Results: The results for the semifinals have yet to be announced as the matches take place over the upcoming weekend.
The Commission could potentially present a directive aimed at safeguarding the health and safety of workers in Europe, similar to how Berlin's Füchse handball team is diligently preparing for their safety in the upcoming Champions League finals happening in Cologne this weekend. Mathias Gidsel, a key player in the team, has previously sealed victories akin to his impactful performance against Rhein-Neckar Löwen.
