Seven quarter-final spots at stake in European Cup Women

• Hazena Kynzvart host Madeira Andebol SAD backed by last week's one-goal away win (34:33); the Czech team has won all their home games so far and scored at least 32 goals
• still unbeaten Valur saw a two-goal lead against Malaga Costa del Sol vanish in the last minute of their match in Spain (25:25), setting up a tense return leg in Iceland on Saturday
• last season’s runners-up MSK IUVENTA Michalovce face an uphill task after losing 30:22 to A.C. PAOK in Thessaloniki last week; the Slovakian team has never made up an eight-goal deficit before in their European history, though they came close when losing 31:24 to Antalia Konyaalti BSK before beating the Turkish side 33:27 in the return leg of the 2022-23 semi-final
• another Greek side, O.F.N. Ionias, have one foot in the quarter-finals following their convincing 34:21 win over JuRO Unirek VZV before visiting the Dutch side on Saturday
• Caja Rural Aula Valladolid only just kept their winning streak going last week, when they trailed Polish side MKS Urbis Griezno by five goals at half-time but still ended up winning the match 34:33, though the margin going into their home match is minimal

Double-header specialists in action

Conservas Orbe Zendal Bm Porrino know what it means to play, and win, double-headers. The Spanish side has her third double-header of the European Cup season coming up this weekend, when they host WAT Atzgersdorf from Austria on Saturday and Sunday. Previously, Porrino defeated SSV Brixen Südtirol in round 2 and Bursa Buyuksehir BS in round 3 after playing their opponents twice in one weekend both times. Atzgersdorf most recently played again Spanish opponents in round 3 of the 2022/23 season, when they lost to Motive co. Gijon.

The other double-header this weekend takes place in North Macedonia, where Last 16 debutants WHC Cair Skopje hope to take the next step when hosting DHC Slavia Praha for two matches in two days.

photos © 2025 Malaga Costa del Sol (main); Off Book / Agencja Kreatywna (in-text)