2025/26 season open as European League qualification begins

CS Minaur and Stjarnan played a draw, while HC Kriens-Luzern, HF Karlskrona, BSV Bern and MRK Dugo Selo saw close wins. In the qualification special path clash, RK Partizan AdmiralBet took a similarly slim victory versus HCB Karvina. SAH - Aarhus, Saint-Raphael Var Handball, IRUDEK Bidasoa Irun, Elverum Håndball and Recken - TSV Hannover-Bergdorf celebrated clear results in their favour.

Contributing to his side’s win over MRK Cakovec on Saturday, Bern right wing Levin Wanner had an 11-goal outing to be the top scorer of the first round of the season. MRK Dugo Selo keeper Vladimir Gošic made the most saves of the first leg, with 18 at a rate of 40 per cent, as his team defeated MRK Sesvete on Sunday.

The second leg will take place next weekend, 6 and 7 September, with the aggregate scores of the two legs determining the winners, who will progress to the group matches. In the group matches, 20 teams pre-seeded for that phase await the 12 that will join via the qualification round. Among those pre-seeded teams are the back-to-back title winners SG Flensburg-Handewitt.

HIGHLIGHT MATCHES

QUALIFICATION ROUND, FIRST LEG

CS Minaur Baia Mare (ROU) vs Stjarnan (ISL) 26:26 (15:14)

The only draw of the first leg was far from level throughout the first 45 minutes, with the score line swinging far in both directions. At 10 minutes in, Stjarnan had created a comfortable lead of 5:1, at which point CS Minaur coach Nuno Farelo called the first timeout and his team scored three unanswered at the restart, initiating a comeback. Minaur levelled for the first time at 9:9 in the 19^th minute and went on to a three-goal advantage before Stjarnan decreased the distance again in the final minutes of the half. The same pattern repeated in the second period, with Stjarnan pulling away as clear as five goals — 21:16 at the 40-minute mark, and Baia Mare fighting back to equalise at 22:22 with 12 minutes on the clock, then grabbing a narrow edge. From 25:25 in the 54^th minute, only two more goals were scored — they came from left back Stefan Cumpanici, who took Minaur in front with two minutes to go, and Stjarnan’s 21-year-old centre back Ísak Einarsson, who equalised 19 seconds before the buzzer. The teams will meet again in Iceland on Saturday 6 September at 15:00 CEST.

RK Gorenje Velenje (SLO) vs HC Kriens-Luzern (SUI) 25:27 (8:12)

One of the few clashes of the first leg of the qualification round to feature two teams that played the European League group matches last season saw one of the closest encounters and perhaps the best goalkeeper contest. Kriens-Luzern’s French keeper Kevin Bonnefoi recorded 12 saves at a rate of 38.71 per cent, was particularly strong in the first half and played a key part as his team led throughout the match. The clearest score line was at six goals — multiple times in the early stages of the second half and latest at 20:14 for the Swiss side 10 minutes into the period. Just nine minutes later the distance was the closest in the game, when Gorenje Velenje came within one at 22:21 in the 50^th. But Kriens-Luzern responded with two goals in a row that reopened a clearer gap and held off their hosts to the buzzer. Both of Velenje’s keepers had an impact, with Matevz Skok making eight saves and Emir Taletovic stopping five of the nine shots he faced at a huge percentage of 55.56, while their right back Tarik Velic netted 10 goals top the scorers list. The reverse leg will take place on Saturday at 18:00 CEST.

IN OTHER MATCHES

QUALIFICATION ROUND, FIRST LEG

• SAH - Aarhus (DEN) vs Maritimo da Madeira Andebol/SAD (POR) 38:25 (22:12)
• Mors-Thy Håndbold (DEN) vs Saint-Raphael Var Handball (FRA) 32:45 (15:23)
• KGHM Chrobry Glogow (POL) vs HF Karlskrona (SWE) 30:33 (12:16)
• IRUDEK Bidasoa Irun (ESP) vs ABC de Braga Lusíadas Saúde (POR) 35:26 (16:11)
• MRK Cakovec (CRO) vs BSV Bern (SUI) 28:31 (15:13)
• Elverum Håndball (NOR) vs Bathco Bm. Torrelavega (ESP) 38:28 (23:16)
• HK Malmö (SWE) vs IK Sävehof (SWE) 24:33 (14:18)
• Recken - TSV Hannover-Burgdorf (GER) vs HC Alkaloid (MKD) 37:27 (19:15)
• MRK Dugo Selo (CRO) vs MRK Sesvete (CRO) 32:29 (18:15)

QUALIFICATION SPECIAL PATH, FIRST LEG

• RK Partizan AdmiralBet (SRB) vs HCB Karvina (CZE) 31:27 (16:15)

Main photo © FotoJV