Reigning champions Magdeburg lead pre-quarter-finals power ranking

But before all of that, it is time to take a look at how these teams are doing so far, and what journalist Kevin Domas estimates each side's chances of progressing to the semi-finals.

8. Montpellier

Montpellier might have won the EHF Champions League twice, which is more than most of the quarter-finals participants, but their presence at this stage of the competition feels something of a surprise. But the French side managed to navigate this far despite losing key players Ahmed Hesham and Kyllian Villeminot. And if Kiel do not take them seriously, you can be sure Montpellier will punish them right away.

7. THW Kiel

The last weeks have not been the easiest for THW Kiel. The four-time EHF Champions League winners made it directly to the quarter-finals after finishing first, in front of Aalborg, Paris Saint-Germain and Kielce, which is a huge achievement. But recent Bundesliga performances saw the Zebras lose by seven against Flensburg at home before winning by just one in Lemgo. Rest assured, though, Kiel always mean business when the Champions League anthem is played in the arena.

6. Aalborg Håndbold

The news lately around Aalborg has mainly revolved around Mikkel Hansen’s retirement and who might jump in and replace him. But that takes the spotlight from the fact that Aalborg are back in the EHF Champions League quarter-finals. There, they might not be favourites, but their clash against Veszprém looks like a very even one. And the motivation within the Danish squad might be even higher with the idea of offering Mikkel Hansen one last trip to Cologne.

5. Paris Saint-Germain

It has been quite a strange season for Paris Saint-Germain. Despite losing in Nantes a couple of days ago, PSG are almost assured of being crowned French champions once again. But the Champions League journey has been much more hectic. While the French side managed to get past Orlen Wisla Plock in the play-offs, they struggled to put the nail in the coffin at home in the second leg. The clash against Barça might be the highest-profile of all confrontations, but Paris will have to step up if they want to have a chance.

4. Industria Kielce

“Kielce are on the way down”, they say, “Kielce lost many players in the summer”, they say. Well, Kielce are back in the EHF Champions League quarter-finals for another season, and they booked their ticket in the most commanding way against GOG. Sure, Magdeburg have displayed some astonishing handball this season, but in the remake of the 2022/23 final, the Polish club will definitely have their say - and may even create a big surprise.

3. Telekom Veszprém

Since the restart of the season in February, Veszprém seem to have stepped up another gear. Yes, they lost a decisive game against SC Magdeburg at home in the group phase, but otherwise, they have showed no mercy to their opponents. EHF EURO 2024 MVP Nédim Rémili has been leading the way for his team, while Rodrigo Corrales has been producing wonders again between the posts. Will that be enough for the Hungarian side to reach Cologne again?

2. Barça

After falling in the semi-finals last season, the EHF Champions League 2021 and 2022 champions are one step from going back to Cologne. Although they might not have been as dominant when compared to previous seasons, Barça have been able to count on their individual talents to save the day. It is hard to lose a game when Dika Mem scores 10 goals or when Gonzalo Perez de Vargas saves 18 shots. Against Paris Saint-Germain, if these players are on the top of their form, Barça could well have a chance to proceed.

1. SC Magdeburg

One defeat, in all competitions, since September. That statistic alone tells you what kind of momentum SC Magdeburg are riding at the moment. Only Hannover-Burgdorf in the Bundesliga in February were able to defeat the EHF Champions League reigning champions. But neither Barça, Veszprém, Kiel nor Berlin were able to do it. This kind of run does not give you an automatic ticket for the EHF FINAL4, far from that, but it gives you a boost of confidence that makes you think you can defeat anyone.

Photos © ERPOPRESS Presse & Sportfotografie Eroll Popova, Sara Gordon, Laurene Valroff, FOTOGRAF HENRIK HANSEN