Metz triumph again in all-French clash to book EHF FINAL4 spot

QUARTER-FINALS, SECOND LEG

Metz Handball (FRA) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) 33:32 (15:13)

Metz Handball win 62:58 on aggregate

• Brest held a narrow lead through the opening 15 minutes, looking to break away early, but Metz stood their ground with some rock-solid defending
• Brest Bretagne opened a 4:1 run with two quick goals, but then both sides went silent for seven minutes, until Metz broke through again to grab their first lead (7:6)
• the away team managed to stay on a short distance up until the 40th minute when Metz used a 4:0 run to set the first five-goal lead and essentially sealed not just the game, but also their spot at the EHF FINAL4 Women 2025
• the tempo dropped in the dying minutes of the clash, allowing Brest to narrow the gap to say goodbye to the EHF Champions League Women 2024/25 season
• Anne Mette Hansen and Laura Flippes were Metz's top scorers, netting seven and six times, respectively; Brest's Onacia Ondono was impeccable with eight goals out of eight attempts
• this was Metz's seventh straight win against Brest across all competitions — the last time Brest won was in January 2024 when they celebrated a 23:22 win in the French league

Flawless Metz to MVM Dome

Metz Handball refused to let their unbeaten fortress, the Palais Omnisports Les Arènes de Metz, fall in yet another fiery clash against Brest Bretagne Handball. The French powerhouse shifted into a higher gear after a slower-than-usual first half and secured their fourth appearance at the EHF FINAL4 Women.

Coach Emmanuel Mayonnade and his team have learned plenty from the past seasons and proved once again they are a serious contender. For some, the third time's the charm, but for Metz, could 2025 finally be the lucky fourth time? Back in the 2018/19 season, their maiden EHF FINAL4 ended in fourth place. In 2021/22, they stepped onto the podium as third. And just last season, in 2023/24, they finished fourth again.

The big question now is — can they finally break that curse and reach the final to try and lift the trophy? We will find out in Budapest on 31 May/1 June. But as the only unbeaten team in this year's competition, boasting 15 wins and just a single draw, Metz' fans have every right to dream big.

This might also be Cléopâtre Darleux's final shot at the trophy, the one missing from her lustrous career. The French star goalkeeper has only played on the EHF FINAL4 stage once before, back in 2020/21, when she finished as runner-up after losing the final to Vipers Kristiansand with her then-club Brest. The very same opponent she eliminated on Sunday with her eight on-point saves. 

Photos © Kevin Clement (main & in-text), Cedosa380 (in-text)