Sensational team Bietigheim narrowly misses a major Champions League triumph.
The German champion, SG BBM Bietigheim, made history in the Women's Handball Champions League, but fell short in the final to an overwhelming opponent. Bietigheim battled it out until the very end, but the Hungarian team Györi ETO KC proved too strong for them. They missed out on the crown of a remarkable Champions League season and ended up with second place.
During the Final Four in Budapest, the Throne of Hungary's capital, Bietigheim lost to Györi with a score of 23:30 (12:17) and couldn't put the favorites in a tough position. However, the weekend in Hungary was a great one for the team coached by Jakob Vestergaard. For the first time ever, a German team made it to the final tournament.
The qualification for the final tournament was already a sensation: The German champion finished its group in the preliminary round in sixth place and had to go through the quarterfinals to get there. There, the SG BBM Bietigheim defeated the Danish vice-champion Odense HB in two matches (30:26 and 30:32). The two games in the preliminary round had been lost by Xenia Smits and Co. against the Danes - and the 29:42 had even been a disaster.
Congratulations poured in from the German Handball Federation. "This weekend, despite the loss in the final of the Final Four, was a significant moment for German women's handball," said DHB President Andreas Michelmann: "I am certain that we will continue to write this story together, both on the club level and with our national team."
A dominating adversary and atmosphere
In the match, the team from Györ, cheered on by 20,000 loud fans, maintained control throughout. For the Hungarians, it marks their sixth title in the Champions League and their first since 2018/19. The last winner was the Norwegian team Vipers Kristiansand, who had triumphed three times in a row.
Bietigheim struggled with the aggressive defense of the Hungarians. Smits, who had been the top scorer in the previous game against Metz HB with 19 goals, didn't shine this time. The 30-year-old scored only two goals in the final. Sofia Hvenfelt had the most successful shots with her five goals.
Before that, national team captain Alina Grijseels lost the match for third place with Metz against Team Esbjerg from Denmark. In the small final, the French top club lost to Team Esbjerg 33:37 (18:18). Grijseels, who is switching to CSM Bukarest for the upcoming season, scored ten goals, the most of any player.
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Despite their valiant efforts, SG BBM Bietigheim's handball team couldn't secure victory in the DHB's Champions League, ultimately falling to Györi ETO KC. In the thrilling final, Bietigheim battled against a dominating adversary and an electric atmosphere, with 20,000 fans cheering for the Hungarian team.
