Last Champions League Women round of 2026 promises thrills
One week after their previous encounters, the 16 teams are ready for the reverse fixtures in round 8 — the last round of the EHF Champions League Women in 2026.
We lost the match, so of course we are not happy, but I think we can be satisfied with what we have shown in the first six rounds. We want to improve before the second match against Esbjerg, and I believe there is still more potential in this team. We are stronger and more confident at home, and I know our fans will be behind us.
We have faith that we can perform well in this match. FTC have a massive capacity and are a very strong home team, but our level has to be very high, if we are to take a point back home.
We have worked hard all week, so now we just need to stay focused and play a solid game from the first whistle to the last. We play at home in front of our fans and we are going to give everything.
It was really important for us to get the points at home. Especially because we are facing them again on Sunday. So this win gives us a slight psychological advantage. Now, we need to build on this performance and work hard to make sure we can reproduce it.
After a very strong first half away against Krim, we managed to come away with the points. We expect this weekend’s match to be tougher than the previous one, but we want to continue building on what worked so well for us away from home: strong, aggressive defensive play and a high tempo in attack.
I want to see a better performance from our side. What we showed, especially in the first half, was not good enough. I expect a positive reaction from the team, even though I know it will be even more difficult against Sola on their home court. They are in very good form at the moment and are playing some of the best handball I have seen from them.
The recent games have shown just how unpredictable games can be and how a single goal can decide the winner. I would like us to play a high-quality match on Sunday, give the fans something to enjoy and, hopefully, give everyone a reason to celebrate at the end. Borussia will certainly be highly motivated to get revenge for their home defeat against us.
We are facing a team against which I believe we can pick up points even on the road. We know we have to do better than we did last week. Above all, we need to stay focused for 60 minutes — especially when it comes to converting our chances — and remain aggressive on defence. We’re heading there with a dose of confidence, we know what we need to improve, and we want to try to start the second half of the season with two points.
I expect a more even match, where Nykøbing will challenge us even more in the transition phases. They possess qualities that could really put us to the test, so it will be crucial that we are well-prepared and stick to our own style of play.
We have a lot to do much better compared with our first meeting. We must play our best attack and get the goals, then also be more aggressive in defending. So, this time, we must be on a high level from beginning to end.
We have long-term objectives with the team, and we know that the work we do in October and November will also have an impact on the later stages of the season. Of course, we know that we can still improve, particularly in defence. I think our counter-attacking game and our attacking play have both been really good lately, but I would like to see us deliver a better defensive performance right from the start of our matches.
We are up against a top-class team and can expect a fantastic atmosphere in an impressive arena. Györ are clear favourites, but we want to focus on ourselves, play with courage and embrace the unique atmosphere.
Having faced each other, both sides now have a much better understanding of one another. Bistrița is undoubtedly the favourite, given the quality they possess. Nevertheless, we have a lot to show. We intend to go all out for the win and secure a positive result before the break in the Champions League. Such a result would provide us with the energy and confidence needed for the remainder of the competition — the final six rounds — during which we will strive to secure a spot in the round of 16.
This time, we’ll be playing away — without the fervent atmosphere of the Teraplast Arena, though we will have the support of 130 fans from Bistrița. We’ll be facing a formidable opponent, featuring high-quality players such as the Pandža sisters and [Matea] Pletikosić. Our goal is to thoroughly analyse our previous home game against them and try to get some of our injured players back, all in pursuit of a victory that will be extremely difficult to achieve.
Whenever you play against Metz, it’s going to be a game with a lot of pace and physical battles. They are extremely good at punishing their opponents’ mistakes, which we also saw in the first match away from home. We need to bring the same energy and fighting spirit that we showed in the first game into Sunday’s match. We have to fight to make sure the two points stay here in Odense.
I have very big expectations for this game. The game we played in Metz was intense and both teams played with a lot of speed. I know it’s always a good atmosphere playing in Odense and I’m looking forward to going back to Denmark and playing an important game in the EHF Champions League.
