Reigning champions Füchse Berlin knocked out by Chambery Savoie

Whilst Füchse Berlin were knocked out by Chambery Savoie, both sides bidding to host the finals, Frisch Auf Göppingen and HCB Nantes remain in the competition.

Göppingen already made it through on Wednesday, and on Saturday, Nantes followed them into the group phase.

KS Azoty-Pulawy (POL) vs Pfadi Winterthur (SUI) 23:30 (9:14)
Agg. 48:59

Twelve goals from left wing, Marcel Hess, played an important part as Winterthur made sure that Switzerland will be represented in the group phase.

Pulawy were warned after Hess scored ten times in the first leg, but after winning 29:25 at home, Winterthur got through with a seven goal win in Poland on Saturday.

At half-time, the visitors led by five goals, 14:9, and in the last 30 minutes, they continued their dominance by stretching their advantage.

TSV St. Otmar St. Gallen (SUI) vs Aalborg Handball (DEN) 28:32 (14:17)
Agg. 48:62

Despite the big win in the first leg, Aalborg coach, Jesper Jensen, demanded a win in the return match too and his players did exactly that.

Aalborg, who were in the VELUX EHF Champions League for the last two seasons, went ahead 5:2 and then 8:4 at the start, and even though the home team managed to catch up, the visitors never left any doubt which team were going to proceed into the group phase.

OCI-LIONS (NED) vs RK Borac m:tel (BIH) 27:23 (12:10)
Agg. 58:52

The Netherlands will be represented in the EHF Cup group phase for the first time this season.

After winning 31:29 in Bosnia in the first leg, OCI-LIONS managed to finish the job in front of 2,055 spectators in the Fitland XL on Saturday night.

The hosts were leading by two goals at half-time, doubling their lead in the last 30 minutes, which was enough to progress.

HBC Nantes (FRA) vs RK Nexe (CRO) 22:18 (11:9)
Agg. 48:44

Nantes are bidding to host the finals and will still be able to do so as they beat Nexe, who were in the group phase last season, by four goals.

Having drawn 26:26 in Croatia in the first leg last weekend, Nantes obviously had the edge in the return match at home, and in front of 4,250 spectators in the Salle Sportive de la Trocadiere, they finished the job winning both halves 11:9.

Csurgói KK (HUN) vs SC Magdeburg (DEN) 23:24 (10:10)
Agg. 61:65

Magdeburg made sure that Germany will have two teams in the group phase, as they overcame a shaky start in Hungary on Saturday evening.

Csurgo came close to catching up with Magdeburg´s five goal lead from the first leg, as the Hungarian hosts took a 5:1 lead.

However, Magdeburg had caught levelled the tie at half-time and in the second half, the Bundesliga side went four goals ahead on two occasions, narrowly winning the tie but progressing with a four goal advantage on aggregate.

Chambery Savoie Handball (FRA) vs Füchse Berlin (GER) 34:30 (19:17)
Agg. 65:61

Chambery joined their French countrymen Nantes in the group phase.

Last season´s EHF Cup winners, Füchse Berlin had to leave the competition even before the group phase at the hands of the French side.

Having drawn 31:31 in Berlin last weekend, Füchse were already under pressure before their trip to France, and that pressure told in the end, as Chambery led 19:17 at half-time.

Chambery also managed to win the second half by two goals and clinch their group phase berth, while Füchse´s European adventure is already over this season.