Four teams seek first points in round 5; top clashes in France and Hungary
After four group phase matches, five teams boast a perfect record in the EHF Champions League Women 2026/27, but at least two of them will drop their first points in round 5, as Györi Audi ETO KC host Metz Handball in the Match of the Week in group A, while Brest Bretagne Handball take on FTC-Toyota Kovács in group B.
Six more encounters are scheduled for Sunday, and Team Esbjerg — who are also enjoying a winning streak — will play at CSM Bucuresti, while Nykøbing Falster Håndbold and Gloria Bistrita clash in another Danish-Romanian duel.
I think FTC are coming into this game with a team that has a lot of individual and collective quality. They have good international players in every position, and they’re showing that they want to achieve something big this season. With the players they have, I think they are definitely among the favorites. For us, the most important thing is to be well prepared, stay focused on ourselves, and make sure we’re ready for the match.
As we expected, the competition in the group is very tight, and I think this match will be particularly important, because both teams are currently on eight points. Brest have a very strong squad with some excellent players, and they also played a high-intensity game during the week, so they could come into the weekend full of momentum. At the same time, we can be confident also as we’ve won every game so far, and our form seems to be getting better and better.
We know that a difficult and important match awaits us, and we have prepared well for this challenge. Sola are very fast and dangerous in transition, so we must find a way to stop their counter-attacks. Good energy starts with strong defence, and every aspect of our game will be important.
I have great memories of the arena in Buducnost. I played my first Champions League match there with Byasen, and back then there were 8,000 spectators in the stands. Both teams are chasing their first points in this year's Champions League, so it should be an exciting match.
I watched RK Krim’s match against Brest Bretagne. Despite the 28:25 defeat, they played really well. RK Krim are physically very strong, and that is of course a completely different level from the Bundesliga. We are a little depleted because of our numerous absences, but we still need to impose our fast-paced game from the very first minute. If we manage to do that from the start, we can beat Krim too.
We are looking forward to playing against Borussia Dortmund. They are a very tough opponent, having won their last two games in the EHF Champions League. They have a lot of international players and a strong home court, so we know it will be a big fight. However, we travel to Dortmund with confidence from our last game against Brest. We believe in the process and that we can perform well there, but of course, we will see how it goes.
We have a team coming that wants and has the quality for the FINAL4, so we expect another hard match and a fight for the whole 60 minutes. We enter that match with good energy and we want to come out of it as winners.
We have put ourselves in a good position in the group phase by winning the first four matches. But there is also a lot of pressure if we have the get one of the two top spots. At first, you have to win all home matches, and then find some wins away, too. CSM has something to prove as well after two losses in the previous matches.
It is always a special feeling to play against Metz, as it is the club where I have made so many memories and experienced so many great moments. I really love the people there, so it is always nice to see my friends again, even if it is just for a match. We hope the arena will be sold out! We must not forget that the defending Champions League winners are coming to Györ, so we will need our fans, a lot of noise and a truly fiery atmosphere in the arena.
The match against Györ is a key fixture in our quest for the top two places in the Champions League group. Direct qualification for the quarter-finals is at stake! It will also be a special occasion, with a great reunion against a historic opponent. We are determined to deliver the best performance possible. The objective is clear: to remain consistent and intense for the full 60 minutes, so that we can come away from this match without any regrets.
We know it’s going to be a tough game against one of the best teams in the world. It’s a good opportunity for us to focus on ourselves and play our game, because we have nothing to lose in this match.
It’s been an intense week, and we’ve really experienced the full range of emotions, both positive and negative. Right now, there is a strong desire within the squad to focus on improving and performing better, ensuring that we continue to move in the right direction as a unit. In our midweek game in Holstebro, I saw a squad that showed determination and a real willingness to roll up their sleeves and put in the hard work.
We believe we can spring a surprise in this year's Champions League, but that requires treating the next match as the most important one. We are working hard and maintaining a humble approach. Matches against Podravka are always tough. They are a team that really steps up in physical duels at both ends of the court. They never give up and have achieved some impressive results in this year's Champions League so far.
First of all, they are a very good team. They demonstrated this recently against Odense, whom they defeated away from home. I certainly wouldn't say playing against them will be easy; they play at home, fight hard, and stick together. They play a fast-paced style of handball, so we need to be focused and ready for them — especially regarding their one-on-one play and their outside shooting. At the same time, we need to focus on ourselves and our own game. We must travel there prepared and give our absolute best.
To play against Gloria Bistrita will be a tough and difficult game for us. I recognize they have good players in all positions, and work well as a team. We are lucky to have them in our own Arena with all our great fans supporting, and we will fight hard to keep the points in Nykøbing.
Nykøbing is a team with great individual and collective tactical resources. Their ball speed in attack is extremely high. They are also very adept at playing seven-on-six offence. I believe our chances of winning the match at a venue as tough as Nykøbing’s depend on playing solid defence for the full 60 minutes.
