One of the season’s biggest highlights is here: the Champions League Final Four in Cologne. Four teams are battling for the title and here’s everything you need to know ahead of the action.
Double semifinals on Saturday, followed by the bronze match and final to wrap up the weekend. These are the exciting matchups on the schedule:
15:00: Füchse Berlin vs. HBC Nantes
Füchse Berlin
Berlin won the Bundesliga for the first time this season. They finished third in their Champions League group behind Veszprem and Sporting after nine wins in five matches. In the knockout rounds, they comfortably eliminated Kielce in the Round of 16 and Aalborg in the quarterfinals.
Players to watch
Mathias Gidsel and Lasse Andersson are the main offensive engines. Nils Lichtlein has been improving steadily at center back (currently seventh in the CL assist rankings). Dejan Milosavljev is a top-class goalkeeper on his best day, and defensively Berlin are strong with powerhouse Mijajlo Marsenic and Max Darj anchoring the central defense.
But most of the spotlight is, of course, on Mathias Gidsel, widely regarded as the world’s best player. He is second in the CL scoring charts behind Mario Sostaric, and with only a few goals separating them, Gidsel is likely to finish as top scorer. He’s also second in assists, just 13 behind Luc Steins – meaning a double individual title is within reach for the Danish right back (and maybe more, if he claims the Final Four MVP title).
Coach
Jaron Siewert.
HBC Nantes
Nantes finished second in the French league behind PSG. They came third in their CL group behind Barça and Aalborg with seven wins, three draws, and four losses. They knocked out Wisla Plock (54–52) in the Round of 16 and Sporting (60–57) in the quarters. This is Nantes’ third Final Four appearance since 2018 (the same year they reached the final).
Players to watch
Aymeric Minne ranks high among the tournament’s top scorers and boasts an impressive shooting percentage (around 80 percent). The squad also includes high-quality players like Valero Rivera, Julien Bos, Thibaud Briet, and Nicolas Tournat.
Coach
Gregory Cojean.
18:00: Barcelona vs. SC Magdeburg
Barcelona
Barça won both the Spanish league and cup this season. They topped their CL group with ten wins, two draws, and two losses. In the quarterfinals, they defeated Pick Szeged 56–54. Barça are the defending Champions League winners and now have a shot at a rare title defense.
Players to watch
Luis Frade and Melvyn Richardson are Barça’s top scorers in the CL with 64 goals. Dika Mem is close behind with 63 and is undoubtedly Barça’s most crucial outfield player. This is a star-studded squad featuring the world’s best goalkeeper Emil Nielsen, a rock-solid defense led by Carlsbogård and Thiagus Petrus, and elite talents like Blaz Janc and Timothey N’Guessan.
Coach
Carlos Ortega.
SC Magdeburg
Magdeburg finished second in the Bundesliga behind Berlin. They came fourth in their CL group behind Barça, Aalborg, and Nantes with six wins, one draw, and seven losses. They cruised past Dinamo Bucuresti in the Round of 16 and narrowly defeated Veszprem by one goal in the quarterfinals. Magdeburg won the Champions League in 2023, when they knocked out Barça in the semis. This season has been tougher due to a long list of injuries to key players.
Players to watch
Omar Ingi Magnusson leads the team in CL goals with 62. Sergey Hernandez has had a strong season in goal. Other world-class talents include Magnus Saugstrup, Felix Claar, Albin Lagergren, and Gisli Kristjansson – though Kristjansson’s participation is uncertain due to a shoulder injury.
Coach
Bennet Wiegert.