Barça lead pre-season power rankings; top sides close behind

Last season’s finalists Füchse Berlin have also lost two important players and could not compensate for Lasse Andersson’s departure, getting surpassed by SC Magdeburg, Aalborg Håndbold and One Veszprém HC in the rankings. Although the competition line-up expanded from 16 to 24 teams, all sides in the top 10 are well-known faces, with former winners and finalists making it among the favourites, as well as ambitious clubs who aim for their debut at the EHF FINAL4 in LANXESS arena.

10. Orlen Wisla Plock

Plock failed in the play-offs three consecutive times, but they hope for a ticket to Cologne once again. The Polish runners-up made one of the most interesting signings of the summer — young Dane Frederik Bjerre, arriving from GOG, was the fifth-best scorer of the previous EHF Champions League season and was on the radar of many European top clubs. Along with skilled players such as team captain Michał Daszek and three-time Champions League winner Melvyn Richardson, Plock aim high in 2026/27, despite facing high hurdles right from the group phase. Still, they count on quality players and an experienced coach, Spaniard Xavi Sabate, who knows the way to Cologne.

9. OTP Bank - PICK Szeged

OTP Bank - PICK Szeged share the fate of Orlen Wisla Plock — they have always aimed to reach Cologne, but are yet to succeed. They were close to reaching the final weekend several times, including in the previous two seasons as their journey ended in the quarter-finals, and have also failed in the play-offs numerous times before. The new playing system, which features one knockout round less compared to previous years, might be an advantage for the Hungarian side.

In terms of their squad, the biggest loss was Janus Daði Smárason, who transferred to Barça, but Lukas Sandell and Dmytro Horiha have joined to bring more shooting power to the club. New goalkeeper Nikola Portner has won the Champions League three times and is another notable addition to this year’s squad. However, Szeged’s group D is not easy, facing Sporting and GOG — and potentially meeting teams such as Barça, Magdeburg or Kielce in the main round does not make the way to the quarter-finals easier.

8. Sporting Clube de Portugal

It is the last chance for the whole Costa family to go to Cologne side-by-side with the same club, as Martim and Francisco are leaving for SG Flensburg-Handewitt in 2027. Maybe this fact, along with the experience gained in two consecutive EHF Champions League campaigns, can be the biggest asset of Ricardo Costa’s team. Last season, they were one goal short in the quarter-finals against Nantes, but the two brothers and their team have matured in the meantime. Just like for Szeged, the way to another quarter-final is steep, but not impossible.

7. Paris Saint-Germain

PSG were part of the EHF FINAL4 six times between 2016 and 2023 — including in 2017 when they played the final — but failed on their way to LANXESS arena three times in a row. Their hopes are high after signing goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales, who replaces Jannick Green, and left wing Bjarki Már Elisson, both arriving from Veszprém. In the last season of Dane Stefan Madsen as their coach, who will be replaced by Spaniard Roberto Parrondo in 2027, Paris dream big, but the previous years have shown that they did not stand the heat in crucial matches. With more quality than last season, PSG are definitely a candidate for the quarter-finals.

6. Industria Kielce

Kielce without any members of the Dujshebaev family — normally inconceivable. But since this season, it is a fact. Alex and Dani went to German clubs, while Talant is the coach of the French national team. How will the Polish champions cope with these changes?

Firstly, their new coach Krzysztof Lijewski is experienced both on the court and the bench — and won the EHF Champions League with Kielce. Secondly, they made some top transfers, mainly strengthening between the posts with goalkeeper Dejan Milosavljev, who joined from Berlin. Luka Lovre Klarica (from Zagreb) and Julien Bos (from Nantes) have arrived to replace the Dujshebaev brothers. Again, Kielce have their classic duels with Magdeburg, and the EHF FINAL4 is their goal. Maybe this new impetus from the bench is exactly what they needed to go to the final stage again.

5. Füchse Berlin

The Foxes from the German capital were finalists twice in a row, but failed to lift the trophy both times — first against their local rivals SC Magdeburg in 2025, then against Barça in 2026. Having world player and two-time EHF Champions League top scorer Mathias Gidsel in their squad is a true asset, but there is one huge gap compared to the previous seasons on the left back position: Lasse Andersson left for Danish side HØJ, with no replacement for him lined up for this season. However, later on, in 2027, Danish super star Simon Pytlick will join the side.

The second crucial loss is goalkeeper Dejan Milosavljev, who left to Kielce and was replaced by experienced Swede Andreas Palicka. Milosavljev’s magic was crucial for some big wins, and therefore Füchse seem to be weaker than last season.

4. Aalborg Håndbold

Aalborg count on one of the strongest back-court line-ups of the EHF Champions League Men, which includes Sander Sagosen, Thomas Arnoldsen, Mads Hoxer and Juri Knorr — and they all know how to make it to Cologne. They were part of the EHF FINAL 4 three times, making it to the final in 2021 and 2024.

The squad remains consistent, as the only notable loss in their roster is defence expert René Antonsen, who transferred to HBC Nantes. Norwegian legend Kristian Bjørnsen has ended his career, but Niklas Landin’s brother Magnus returned to the team and is an asset both in defence and attack. It would be no miracle if Aalborg made it to Cologne again.

3. One Veszprém HC

It is a long road to Cologne, with many challenges along the way — and no other team knows it better than Veszprém. Having one of the best squads and one of the most successful Champions League coaches on the bench, Xavi Pascual’s team is always regarded as a main contender for Cologne. However, in the last four years, Veszprém failed in the quarter-finals.

In their efforts to avoid this early elimination and to book a ticket to LANXESS arena, Veszprém made the biggest transfer of the year, signing Danish goalkeeper Emil Nielsen, who arrived as EHF Champions League winner and MVP of the 2025/26 EHF season from Barça. Nielsen replaces Spaniard Rodrigo Corrales, who returned to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Dane bears huge responsibility on his shoulders, despite having an unchanged extra-class back-court line, including Nedim Remili, Ivan Martinović, Yehia Eldaraa, Ahmed Hesham and three-time Champions League winner Luka Cindrić. The main question is: if not with Nielsen, then when shall Veszprém clinch their very first trophy in the top flight?

2. SC Magdeburg

Handball can be so simple: build a rock-solid wall and then run through the opponent’s defence and score — this is the way SC Magdeburg have won the EHF Champions League twice and made it to Cologne four times in a row. The way to the next EHF FINAL4 seems to be paved again, as the core of the squad remains the same as last year, despite some players leaving.

The biggest change occurred in the goal, where Croat Dominik Kuzmanović replaced Sergey Hernández — who signed with Barça — and joined his country-fellow Matej Mandić. Antonio Serradilla shall fill the gap in the defence, after Christian O'Sullivan went to Lemgo. The rest has more or less remained the same — including their three world-class Icelanders Gísli Kristjánsson, Ómar Ingi Magnússon and Elvar Örn Jonsson, alongside Danish line player and new team captain Magnus Saugstrup and their strong wings Daniel Petterson, Matthias Musche and Lukas Mertens.

If no key players are out in the long-term, the German champions are the main contenders for a spot in Cologne.

1. Barça

They lost the MVP of the season and the MVP of the EHF FINAL4 2026 — but still, Barça remain on top of the power rankings. On one hand, Nielsen’s replacement between the posts is no other than Sergey Hernández, while the successor of Domen Makuc (now at THW Kiel) is Icelander Janus Daði Smárason.

On the other hand, Barça kept many of those top players, who have been familiar with the team’s system for years, such as Ludovic Fabregas, Blaž Janc, Aleix Gómez or — in his last season before moving to Berlin — Dika Mem.

As record participants and record winners in Cologne, Barça and their coach Carlos Ortega have the experience, which is exactly what they need to return to the winners’ podium. Additionally, they do not have such big challenges to overcome in their league, compared to clubs from Germany, Denmark or France — and Barça can always save their powers for the EHF Champions League, mainly in the crucial final stages.

Photos © Uros Hocevar / kolektiff (main & first in-text), Orlen Wisla Plock, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Foto Lächler/Sylvia Göres, One Veszprém HC, Franziska Gora/Jan Huebner (in order, in-text)