Thrilling conclusions await in the race for the quarter-finals

Last weekend's first-leg matches in the Last 16 were won by margins of between one and 11 goals, while three ties are yet to get underway, and will instead play double-headers in Slovakia, Italy and Serbia.

• the only two sides who reached the quarter-finals last season and can do so again this time are involved in double-headers: MSK IUVENTA Michalovce (SVK) host ŽRK Split 2010 (CRO), while Hazena Kynzvart (CZE) travel to Italy to face Jomi Salerno (ITA) 
• 2021/22 winners Costa del Sol Malaga (ESP) are featuring in the third double-header, visiting ZORK Bor in Serbia 
• 2023/24 winners ATTICGO Bm Elche (also from Spain) have given themselves a great chance of progressing, following their 28:22 away win at Polish side KPR Gminy Kobierzyce, backed by ten goals from top scorer Carmen Filipa Claudino
• Greek side A.C. PAOK took the biggest win of the first round, beating Madeira Andebol SAD (Portugal) 37:26, while Italian side Handball Erice SSD ARL have work to do at home after their close 22:25 defeat at 2020/21 semi-finalists Club Balonmán Atlético Guardes
• the current top scorer of the competition is Ivona Barukcic (ZRK Mlinotest Ajdovscina) with 46 goals, ahead of Wiktoria Kostuch (KPR Gminy Kobierzyce) on 35 and Elisa Marsman (Cabooter Fortes Venlo) on 34.

Thrillers expected in Türkiye and The Netherlands

Two first-leg matches ended with a one-goal margin and can go either way in the reverse fixture: ZRK Mlinotest Ajdovscina from Slovenia gave away the chance to take a bigger win than the 28:27 than eventually secured against Cabooter Fortes Venlo (Netherlands), as they did not score in the last five minutes, allowing the visitors to score the final three goals. Therefore, the Dutch side have good chances to make it to their second ever EHF European Cup quarter-final after 2023/24. 

Turkish side Bursa Büyüksehir BSK took a 25:24 away win at Replasa Beti-Onak in Spain thanks to 17 saves from their goalkeeper, Sevilay Imanoglu. They too could have secured a larger win, as they led 15:9 at the break. After making the third round in this competition on their international debut in 2024/25, the team from Bursa can make it into the top 8 for the first time against the debutants from Spain. 

Photos © KPR Gminy Kobierzyce, ZRK Mlinotest Ajdovscina