Atletico and Antalya look for first-leg final advantage
Both Club Balonmán Atlético Guardes and Antalya Konyaalti BSK have already written history, as they have never before reached the final of any European club competitions.
Now they meet in the decisive matches of the EHF European Cup Women, and this Sunday, Atletico will host the first leg in Pontevedra.
FINAL, FIRST LEG
Club Balonmán Atlético Guardes (ESP) vs Antalya Konyaalti BSK (TUR)
Sunday 30 April, 20:00 CEST, live on EHFTV
- Spanish teams have dominated the third-tier European women’s competition since 2018/19: Rocasa Gran Canaria won in 2019 and 2022, and Rincon Fertilidad Malaga in 2021. The 2019/20 tournament was cancelled due to Covid-19
- Atlético’s best result in European competitions was the European Cup semi-final in 2020/21, when they lost to eventual champions Malaga
- in the current campaign, the team from Pontevedra have already made a step further, beating fellow Spanish side ATTICGO BM Elche in the semi-final, 45:40 on aggregate
- since 2010, Turkish women’s teams have reached the final of the third-tier European competition three times, but lost all of them: Muratpasa Belediyesi SK in 2010/11 and 2011/12, and Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK in 2015/16
- Sandra Santiago is Atlético’s best scorer in the current tournament with 55 goals, while two Antalya players have a bigger tally: Alena Ikhneva has scored 60 goals, and Yasemin Sahin 59
Antalya living the dream
Last season, the Norwegian side Nærbø IL were able to in win the EHF European Cup Men in their maiden European season, and now it looks like Antalya are determined to repeat the trick in the women’s competition.
During their debut campaign in Europe, the Turkish side have already eliminated Greece’s A.E.S.H Pylea, HC Galychanka Lviv of Ukraine, Portuguese side Sport Lisboa e Benfica, fellow Turks Izmir BSB SK, and Slovakia’s MKS IUVENTA Michalovce. Lifting the trophy would be the icing on the cake of a historic season, as well as breaking the Spanish stranglehold in the competition.
