Tussle for the title begins with fiery EHF FINAL4 semi-final clashes

In a rematch of last season's semi-final, Györi Audi ETO KC will look to beat Team Esbjerg once again and keep their dream of a seventh title alive. Later in the day, the only team still unbeaten in the competition, Metz Handball, will go toe-to-toe with the only debutants in Budapest, Odense Håndbold.

SEMI-FINALS

Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN)
Saturday, 31 May, 15:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

• Hungarian side Györ are the reigning champions and the only team among the four to have previously won the EHF Champions League title
• Györ are heading into their ninth consecutive EHF FINAL4 Women appearance, while their opponents Esbjerg are making it four in a row
• this is a replay of the 2024 semi-finals — Györ reached the final, and claimed their sixth title, by narrowly edging out Esbjerg, 24:23
• Györ have a perfect record against Esbjerg, having won all nine of their previous encounters
• Esbjerg's centre back Henny Reistad is the top scorer in the EHF Champions League 2024/25, with 139 goals; right back Dione Housheer leads the charts for Györ with 78 goals
• the defending champions are coming to Budapest on the back of their 18th domestic league title; Esbjerg will play Odense in the Danish league play-off final after the EHF FINAL4 Women

Metz Handball (FRA) vs Odense Håndbold (DEN)
Saturday, 31 May, 18:00 CEST, live on EHFTV

• Metz Handball are arriving at their fourth EHF FINAL4 as the only unbeaten team in the competition with a 15-game winning streak — giving them a chance to beat Györ's longest winning run of 16 matches; Odense are the only debutants in Budapest and the only team who had to go through the play-offs
• Odense's top scorer is Thale Deila with 78 goals, while line player Sarah Bouktit leads Metz's attack with 96 goals
• in their last four EHF Champions League encounters, Metz have won three times, while one game ended in a draw
• coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad will aim to lead Odense to their first final — he previously won the title three consecutive times with Vipers (2021, 2022, 2023)
• this will be the last battle between two legendary goalkeepers: Metz's Cléopatre Darleux, who will retire at the end of the season, and Odense's Katrine Lunde
• Metz arrive in Budapest as newly-crowned French champions, while Odense will battle Esbjerg for the Danish title after the EHF FINAL4

Main photo © KEVIN CLEMENT; feature photos © Györi Audi ETO KC @hsnlau//Lau Nielsen, Raluca MALNASI Photographer