Barça are champions of Europe again, defeating Füchse BerlinTeam·Füchse Berlin 37:34 in a high‑tempo final at LANXESS arena to clinch the Machineseeker EHF Champions League 2025/26 title on Sunday.
The Spanish side control the contest from the opening exchanges, never trailing on the scoreboard and repeatedly finding ways to stay one step ahead of a resilient Füchse side. The victory caps a dominant TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 weekend in Cologne and secures the last remaining EHF men’s club title of the 2025/26 season.
In a final defined by attacking fluency, Barça’s back‑court rhythm and transition play set the tone. Working through their systems with pace, they regularly create clear angles against the Berlin defence, varying between long‑range shooting and incisive passes to the line. Füchse respond with their own offensive threat, leaning heavily on the individual brilliance of Mathias Gidsel, but repeatedly have to chase a two‑ or three‑goal deficit.
The tactical battle hinges on how each side manages tempo. Barça press early after their own scores, looking to disrupt Füchse’s first phase and force attacks into the final seconds of the possession clock. Berlin, by contrast, try to stretch Barça’s defence with deep rotations and quick ball circulation to free shooters in the half spaces. When Füchse string together mini‑runs, they threaten to pull level, but Barça’s ability to find solutions in set attack ensures the lead remains theirs.
Crucial phases arrive around the interval and midway through the second half. Late in the first period, Barça punish a series of Berlin turnovers with fast‑break goals that give them a cushion at the break. After the restart, Füchse tighten their defensive block and briefly narrow the gap, only for Barça to respond with clinical finishes from both wings and seven‑metre precision whenever the German side’s fouls become too heavy.
At the heart of Barça’s display is Domen Makuc, whose command of the attack earns him the MVP award for the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 2026. The centre back dictates pace, identifies mismatches, and repeatedly unlocks Berlin’s defence with timing rather than risk. His recognition as most valuable player is a landmark, making him the first Slovenian to receive this honour at the event.
For Füchse BerlinTeam·Füchse Berlin, the night brings both disappointment and a place in the record books. Mathias Gidsel is confirmed as the competition’s top scorer and sets a new all‑time record for a single EHF Champions League season with 161 goals. His output across the campaign, capped by another influential performance in the final, underlines his status as one of the standout back‑court players in the European game.
The final is also shaped by the paths both teams take to Sunday. Barça arrive in the title match after overcoming Aalborg Håndbold in their semi‑final, showing their capacity to control high‑pressure knockout handball over 60 minutes. Füchse BerlinTeam·Füchse Berlin come through a 40:35 semi‑final against SC Magdeburg, a game in which Dejan Milosavljev and Gidsel are decisive in the closing stages. That energy‑sapping contest leaves Berlin needing to back up another high‑intensity display less than 24 hours later.
Earlier on Sunday, SC Magdeburg defeat Aalborg Håndbold in the 3/4 placement match to claim a commanding win and secure their first ever third‑place finish at an EHF FINAL4. For Magdeburg, the result provides a tangible reward from the weekend and adds another strong European performance to their recent record. Aalborg, meanwhile, leave Cologne in fourth place, having reached the final stage but fallen short in both of their matches.
Taken together, the weekend in Cologne confirms Barça back at the summit of European men’s club handball, with Füchse BerlinTeam·Füchse Berlin consolidating their status among the elite despite the defeat. Magdeburg’s place on the podium and Aalborg’s presence at the event underline the competitive depth at the top of the Machineseeker EHF Champions League.
Looking ahead, attention now turns to how these four clubs translate FINAL4 experience into their domestic campaigns and future European seasons. Barça will carry the confidence of a title‑winning run, Füchse will build around a record‑breaking scorer in Gidsel, Magdeburg have a first third‑place finish to serve as a reference point, and Aalborg take lessons from facing the continent’s sharpest attacks under the brightest spotlight in Cologne.
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