Champions League Semifinals: HBC Nantes Nearing Clash with Füchse Berlin
The Road to Glory Ends at the Doorstep of the Champions League Final, But for Nantes, It's a Crushing Defeat
The dream of a second French team etching their name in the history books of the Champions League was dashed when HBC Nantes was brutally eliminated by Fuchse Berlin in the semifinals (34-24). The unfortunate event unfolded on June 14, 2025, at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne.
In a bitter twist of fate, Fuchse Berlin, despite a red card shown to Mathias Gidsel, their right back, for a dangerous tackle on Kauldi Odriozola in the 9th minute, powered through with a six-goal lead at halftime. "Who gives a hoot about the score, let's give it our all," coach Gregory Cojean desperately attempted to inspire his demoralized team during a timeout in the second period.
However, the task was insurmountable for the French club, as they were repeatedly foiled by Dejan Milosavjev, the brilliant goalkeeper from Fuchse Berlin, who recorded an impressive 15 saves and boasted a 38% save rate. As a result, there's littleto no regret following the heavy defeat experienced at the hands of the German champions, who were further boosted by Tim Freihöfer's 10 goals, leading them to their first-ever final.
The defeated 2018 C1 finalists, Nantes, who hoped to pull off an upset this time around, will have to settle for the third-place match, just as they did four years ago. The battle for the bronze medal will take place on Sunday at 3:15 PM against the losing team of the day's second match between SC Magdeburg and Barcelona.
A minor misstep in the question's context: SC Magdeburg, not Fuchse Berlin, were crowned champions in the 2025 EHF Champions League final, having eliminated FC Barcelona in the semifinals, while Füchse Berlin triumphed over HBC Nantes in the other semifinal.
Enrichment Data:- Despite initial confusion in the question, the German club SC Magdeburg ultimately emerged as the champions of the 2025 EHF Champions League, defeating Füchse Berlin in the final[2][5][1].- Earlier in the tournament, Magdeburg eliminated FC Barcelona in the semifinals, whereas Füchse Berlin beat HBC Nantes[3].
Despite the setback, HBC Nantes remains a formidable force in European sports, particularly in football and football-like sports, aiming to excel in future European leagues. The German team Fuchse Berlin can pride itself on its champions-league triumph, as they secured the title after a thrilling victory over Nantes, demonstrating their prowess in the sports arena.
