Last year’s finalists face off in the first semi-final of the EHF Champions League. GOhandball has rated the teams ahead of this weekend’s Final Four.
As always, handball fever has taken over Cologne as Europe’s best teams battle it out for the Champions League title. In semi-final 1, the German giants Magdeburg and Fuchse Berlin will once again clash.
GO Handball has rated the teams from 1–5 ahead of the match, with a slight edge for the reigning champions.
GK:
Magdeburg: 4
Fuchse Berlin: 4
Hernandez and Mandić form a goalkeeper duo of the highest quality. Both have the ability to decide games, and it is a very strong four Magdeburg get at the goalkeeper position.
Milosavljev has shown this season that he performs at a high level and he will need to deliver if Berlin are to succeed. Lasse Ludwig, as the second option, does not have the same ceiling.
LW:
Magdeburg: 4
Fuchse Berlin: 4
German international Mertens has a very high ceiling and is a sharp weapon on the wing. Slightly weaker depth behind him.
Mertens’ national team colleague Freihöfer has developed into one of the world’s best left wingers and is almost always consistent. If he does not perform, the depth behind him is thinner.
RW:
Magdeburg: 4
Fuchse Berlin: 3
Pettersson has been solid for several years and together with his wing partner Hornke, Magdeburg have a duo that rarely underperforms.
Faroese winger Teigum has once again shown this season that he is of international class, and maybe he has deserved a four, but compared to Magdeburg’s pair it feels slightly weaker.
Pivot:
Magdeburg: 5
Fuchse Berlin: 3
Saugstrup consistently delivers at both ends of the court for both Magdeburg and the Danish national team. Together with Bergendahl, they form a central block of the highest class.
With Darj and Marsenić, Berlin have high-quality defensive players, but offensively there is more to be desired and therefore a three.
LB:
Magdeburg: 5
Fuchse Berlin: 4
Counting Claar as a left back for Magdeburg, and with the depth behind him, the reigning champions have incredible quality in the backcourt.
Andersson continues to deliver goals year after year from the left back position. He will be extremely important for Berlin, and has to relieve some of the offensive burden from Gidsel if they are to succeed.
CB:
Magdeburg: 5
Fuchse Berlin: 5
Kristjánsson leads the team at centre back and behind him there are several players who can step in and perform. Magdeburg’s depth in the backcourt is incredibly strong and it feels impossible to give anything other than a five.
Grøndahl and Lichtlein both have an extremely high ceiling, both as playmakers and scorers. If one of them hits top form in the semi-final, it could be the key for Berlin.
RB:
Magdeburg: 5
Fuchse Berlin: 5
Individually, there may be sharper players on the right back position. But as a duo, Magnusson and Lagergren operate at the very highest level and the ability to rotate gives them a five.
Here, you would almost want to give Fuchse Berlin more than a five, as Matthias Gidsel is clearly the best handball player in the world. Offensively, it is questionable whether we have ever seen a better attacking player and he will lead Berlin’s offense.
Total
Magdeburg: 32
Fuchse Berlin: 28
Magdeburg come in as favorites and I also give them a slight edge. However, a fair rating would be to give Gidsel a seven, and then the total would be much closer. The feeling is that this will be a true classic, decided in the very final moments.