SC Magdeburg vs. Füchse Berlin: Final of the merciless!

SC Magdeburg vs. Füchse Berlin: Final of the merciless!

On Sunday at 6 p.m. the time has finally come: SC Magdeburg meets Füchse Berlin in the Champions League final. This duel is not only a fight for the crown of European handball, but also a long-awaited revenge for Magdeburg, who had to finish as runners-up just behind the capital city in the Bundesliga season.

The coach of SC Magdeburg, Bennet Wiegert, sees the clash less as an act of retaliation, while his players have different feelings. Backcourt player Omar Ingi Magnusson admits that they are “extra hungry to win”, especially after the narrow defeat in the championship. Felix Claar, the Magdeburg playmaker, aptly describes the duel as a “war” and “mini derby”, which underlines the explosiveness of the game.

The history and the key players

National player Lukas Mertens believes Magdeburg has an advantage as they already have experience from a previous Champions League final. On the other hand, the Foxes have players who have already appeared in Olympic finals, so the cards are evenly distributed in this exciting final. Wiegert warns his team against losing too much energy and emphasizes the importance of concentrating on their own game.

World handball player Mathias Gidsel also plays an important role in the upcoming intensity of the game. He would like to rehabilitate himself in the final for his early expulsion in the semi-final, while the Foxes made it into the final against HBC Nantes with 34:24. The starting position for Magdeburg is promising after the narrow 31:30 win against FC Barcelona in the semi-final, which was only decided in the last second.

The final in Cologne

It is the first German-German final in the Champions League in eleven years, and the anticipation for the event in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne is palpable. Michael Damgaard from Magdeburg described the semi-final as an advertisement for the sport of handball, even if the game was marked by strict decisions, including four red cards. These also included the first red card in Gidsel's career, who took the Foxes out of the lineup in the decisive game.

With Tim Freihöfer, who scored an outstanding ten goals in the semi-final, the Foxes are still well prepared. The encounter promises to be a real highlight not only in terms of sport but also emotionally. Both teams are ready to perform at their best and put everything on the field. It remains exciting to see who will ultimately wear the European crown, but what is certain is that it will be a spectacle for the spectators.

For more details, visit the coverage of Picture, Mirror and Kicker.