
<p>The <strong>group stage</strong> of the <strong>Handball Champions League</strong> has come to an end, and the teams that advanced to the next round now have a <strong>three-week break</strong> to prepare for their upcoming matches. This season has been particularly exciting, with high-quality games that have kept fans and spectators engaged. Now comes the <strong>crucial stage</strong>, where only the best-prepared teams will be able to sustain their form and fight for the <strong>Champions League trophy</strong>.</p>



<p>This is the <strong>65th edition</strong> of the tournament, which began back in September and will conclude at the end of June, making it a <strong>nine-month-long season</strong> for the competing handball players. Defending champions <strong>Barcelona</strong> are once again among the favorites, and given their performances this season, it would be no surprise if they managed to retain the trophy. Fans and bettors following the tournament via <a href="https://www.merkurxtip.rs/en/home"><strong>Merkur XTip</strong></a> will closely monitor the upcoming matchups, as the most thrilling part of the season is about to begin.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Competition Format</h2>



<p>The format of this year&#8217;s <strong>Champions League</strong> remained unchanged from the previous three seasons. The <strong>16 participating teams</strong> were divided into <strong>two groups</strong>, each playing <strong>14 matches</strong>—home and away—against every other team in their group.</p>



<p>At the end of the <strong>group stage</strong>, the <strong>top two teams from each group</strong> earned <strong>direct qualification to the quarterfinals</strong>, while the teams placed <strong>3rd to 6th</strong> entered the <strong>playoffs</strong> to fight for a spot in the next round. The <strong>quarterfinal matches</strong> will take place on <strong>April 23-24</strong> and <strong>April 30-May 1</strong>, with the <strong>Final Four</strong> set for <strong>June 14-15 in Cologne</strong>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Group A</h2>



<p>The final round of <strong>Group A</strong> saw:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Eurofarm Pelister losing to PSG (26-35)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Orlen Wisła Płock drawing with Sporting (29-29)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Dinamo Bucharest securing an away win over Fredericia HK (37-32)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Telekom Veszprém suffering a surprising 32-33 home defeat to Füchse Berlin</strong>, an outcome that was not widely expected by <strong>sports betting platforms</strong>.</li>
</ul>



<p>Despite this loss, <strong>Telekom Veszprém</strong> remained <strong>top of the table</strong>, having secured <strong>12 wins and only two losses</strong>. <strong>Sporting</strong> finished in <strong>second place</strong>, also securing direct qualification to the <strong>quarterfinals</strong>—a position they clinched thanks to a superior <strong>goal difference</strong>, despite having the same points as the <strong>third and fourth-placed teams</strong>.</p>



<p>The <strong>playoff qualifiers</strong> from this group are:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>3rd place: Füchse Berlin</strong></li>



<li><strong>4th place: PSG</strong></li>



<li><strong>5th place: Dinamo Bucharest</strong></li>



<li><strong>6th place: Orlen Wisła Płock</strong></li>
</ul>



<p>Meanwhile, <strong>Eurofarm Pelister</strong> finished <strong>7th</strong>, and <strong>Fredericia HK</strong> ended in <strong>last place</strong> with just <strong>one win and one draw</strong> in 14 matches.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Group B</h2>



<p>The final round of <strong>Group B</strong> included the following results:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>SC Magdeburg defeating OTP Bank-Pick Szeged (31-24)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Industria Kielce edging out RK Zagreb in an away match (27-26)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Barcelona overpowering Kolstad Handball (36-27)</strong></li>



<li><strong>HBC Nantes and Aalborg Handbold playing to an exciting 29-29 draw</strong>, a match that was particularly intriguing for those tracking <strong>live results</strong>.</li>
</ul>



<p>At the end of the <strong>group stage</strong>, <strong>Barcelona topped the standings</strong> with <strong>10 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses</strong>, securing <strong>direct passage to the quarterfinals</strong> alongside <strong>Aalborg Handbold</strong>, who finished <strong>second</strong>.</p>



<p>The <strong>playoff qualifiers</strong> from this group are:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>3rd place: HBC Nantes</strong></li>



<li><strong>4th place: SC Magdeburg</strong></li>



<li><strong>5th place: OTP Bank-Pick Szeged</strong></li>



<li><strong>6th place: Industria Kielce</strong>, who advanced <strong>due to a better goal difference</strong> over <strong>Kolstad Handball</strong>.</li>
</ul>



<p>At the bottom of the standings, <strong>RK Zagreb</strong> finished <strong>last</strong>, managing only <strong>three wins and one draw</strong> in <strong>14 matches</strong>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Playoff Matchups</h2>



<p>The <strong>first-leg matches</strong> of the playoffs are scheduled for <strong>March 26-27</strong>, with the return legs set for <strong>April 2-3</strong>. These matchups will determine the <strong>four remaining quarterfinalists</strong>:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Industria Kielce vs. Füchse Berlin</strong> → Winner will face <strong>Aalborg Handbold</strong> in the quarterfinals.</li>



<li><strong>Orlen Wisła Płock vs. HBC Nantes</strong> → Winner will play <strong>Sporting</strong> in the next round.</li>



<li><strong>OTP Bank-Pick Szeged vs. PSG</strong> → A highly anticipated clash, with the winner set to face <strong>Barcelona</strong> in the quarterfinals.</li>



<li><strong>Dinamo Bucharest vs. SC Magdeburg</strong> → The victorious team will take on <strong>Telekom Veszprém</strong> in the next stage.</li>
</ul>



<p>With the stakes rising and the best teams in Europe competing for a spot in <strong>Cologne’s Final Four</strong>, handball fans can expect intense battles in the coming weeks.</p>

Handball Champions League Enters Its Decisive Phase
