Handball in September: From A to Z

The 2024-25 handball season is alive and active. But what happened during September? Here are handball in September: From A to Z.

A – Michael Apelgren
Pick Szeged are back, and they can thank their new Swedish head coach for it. Szeged are once again looking like a top team in Europe, and several players are playing at a higher level than they have done for several years.

B – Johanna Bundsen
The Swedish goalkeeper was perhaps the best one of them all during the Olympics in Paris. And the 33-year-old has continued in the same fashion for her new club team, Ludwigsburg. Bundsen has the most saves (39 so far) of all the goalkeepers in the Champions League.

Johanna Bundsen of Sweden and Ludwigsburg. Photo: Mathias Bergeld / BILDBYRÅN

C – Felix Claar
The injury to the Swedish playmaker means that he won’t be seeing any playing time during the rest of 2024. Considering the importance of Claar to this team, it might mean that Magdeburg is in trouble this season.

D – Danish players
What else is there to say? Complete dominance.

Lasse Andersson. Photo: Avdo Bilkanovic / BILDBYRÅN

E – Emil Madsen
Speaking of Danish players – Emil Madsen can’t be stopped. Already a goalscoring machine for THW Kiel in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

F – FTC
Are the Hungarians the best team in the Women’s Champions League so far? It looks like it. Bölk, Kanor, Dmitrieva, Simon, and Klujber are dominating.

Katrin Klujber of Hungary and Ferencvaros. Photo: Mathias Bergeld / BILDBYRÅN.

G – Mathias Gidsel
Never seizes to amaze.

H – Henny Reistad
Still the best player in the world.

Henny Reistad, Norway and Team Esbjerg. Photo: Petter Arvidson / BILDBYRÅN

I – Italian setback
Italy is a nation that is taking steps in the right direction all the time. But in the Men’s European Cup, Italian club handball had a setback. Pallamano Conversano conceded 81 goals in total in the Men’s European Cup games against Norwegian side Drammen.

J – Juggernaut
It’s what BK-46 is in Finnish Men’s handball. They are destroying every team they are playing against.

K – Krim
The big surprise so far in the Women’s Champions League. The Slovenian champions won three out of three games during September.

Ana Gros of Slovenia and Krim. Photo (archive): Mathilda Ahlberg / BILDBYRÅN

L – Losing big
This is what the Norwegian low-league team Godøy did when they played against Kristiansand. Vipers won the domestic cup game, 64–7.

M – Nora Mørk
Has taken a break from handball for the unforeseen future. “Don’t play the players” seems more fitting than ever.

Nora Mørk. Photo (archive): Jesper Zerman / BILDBYRÅN.

N – Nedim Remili
Top scorer of the Men’s Champions League so far with 25 goals. And a key for Veszprem when they won the Club World Championship.

Nedim Remili of France and Veszprem KC. Photo: Emma Wallskog / BILDBYRÅN

O – Olympics
A great championship, there is no doubt about that. But how big an affect will it have on players and injuries this season?

P – Portuguese dominance
Is Sporting the best Men’s team in Europe right now? It looks like it.

Francisco Costa. Photo: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN

Q – The Romanian Queen
Cristina Neagu has announced that this season will be her final one. A true legend of the game.

R – Jamina Roberts
Vipers have a thin squad this year – which means that Jamina Roberts is more dominant than ever.

S – Glenn Solberg
The Norwegian surprised everyone when news broke that he had decided to step down as head coach for Sweden’s national team after five years.

Head coach Glenn Solberg of Sweden. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN

T – Tragedy
Paul Drux has ended his career, only 29 years old, due to a recent knee injury.

U – Renärs Uscins
Unstoppable. What a player!

Renars Uscins. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN

V – Anna Vyakhireva
What a signing by Brest, and what a month by the right back. The 29-year-old alone is making Brest a contender for the Champions League title this season.

W – Wall
This is what David Späth has acted like for Rhein-Neckar Löwen so far this season. 13 saves against Kiel, 21 saves against Bietigheim, 15 saves against Melsungen, and 16 saves against Leipzig. Half man – half amazing.

David Späth. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN

X – Xavi Pascual
Only one month into the season, and the Spaniard has already won one title with new club Veszprem. Sure, it was “only” the Club World Championship, but it’s still a title, and Veszprem had to defeat both Barcelona and Magdeburg to make the title theirs.

Xavier Pascual. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN

Y – Shuichi Yoshida
The Japanese pivot had a great Olympics and moved to HBC Nantes this summer. A great start to the season for the 23-year-old as well.

Z – Zagreb
It looks like the Croatian champions are a better team this season. Right back, Klarica looks exciting, and goalkeeper Matej Mandic could be the next Croatian wall in goal.