Handball Bundesliga club SG Flensburg-Handewitt has secured a favorable starting position in the European League in the race for participation in the finals in front of their home crowd. The North Germans, who have not been defeated in all competitions since the turn of the year, won their quarter-final first leg in Spain at BM Granollers 31:30 (17:14).
Bundesliga relegation candidate FA Göppingen can at least start planning for the trip north. The former EHF Cup winner clearly put the Croatian representative Nexe Nasice in their place with 32:23 (15:9). On the other hand, championship contenders Füchse Berlin have to worry about a place in the semi-finals after a 33:37 (18:19) win at the Swiss champions Kadetten Schaffhausen before the second leg on April 18th.
Flensburg, which is only two points behind the leading duo with THW Kiel and Berlin, can still hope for the title in the Bundesliga, remained unbeaten in Spain in their 21st competitive game in a row and celebrated a successful dress rehearsal for the semi-finals at the final round in national cup competition at the weekend in Cologne against former champions Rhein-Neckar Löwen. Emil Jakobsen had the greatest share in Flensburg’s success with six goals for the Iberians, who were previously undefeated internationally on their home soil.
Berlin has to improve significantly due to its first defeat in the current competition after twelve successes on the way to the round of the top eight in the second duel with Schaffhausen. Despite seven goals from Lasse Andersson and six from Milos Vujovic, the foxes were unable to further improve their European League win record.
After the home defeat in the Bundesliga basement duel against HSG Wetzlar, Göppingen returned to the road to success. Marcel Schiller and Kevin Gulliksen, who scored seven goals, guaranteed the hosts’ success against the visitors from the Balkans.
