CL History: Germany vs Spain
 The semi-finals of the Champions League will be similar to last season: two Spanish will meet two Germans teams. A brief look in history shows that the teams from Spain have a mostly positive balance against their German opponents. However, it completely changed last season, when Kiel and Flensburg both eliminated their Spanish counterparts (Portland and Valladolid respectively). This year Kiel will meet Barcelona and Ciudad Real will play against Hamburg.
Let’s take a look at the overall statistics: German teams won the Champions League twice (Magdeburg in 2001, Kiel in 2007). Meanwhile, there were ten Spanish successes: Barcelona (6x), Irun, Santander, Portland and Ciudad Real have won the “king’s class” so far.
Germany vs Spain / winner of Champions League
1993/94: SG Wallau-Massenheim out in the final group phase / winner: Teka Santander (Spain)
1994/95: THW Kiel out in the final group phase / winner: Irun Bidasoa (Spain)
1995/96: THW Kiel out in the final group phase / winner: FC Barcelona (Spain)
1996/97: THW Kiel lose semi-finals against Badel Zagreb (Croatia) / winner: FC Barcelona (Spain)
1997/98: TBV Lemgo lose semi-finals against FC Barcelona (Spain) / winner: FC Barcelona (Spain)
1998/99: THW Kiel lose quarterfinals against Portland San Antonio (Spain) / winner: FC Barcelona (Spain)
1999/00: THW Kiel lose finals against FC Barcelona (Spain) / winner: FC Barcelona (Spain)
2000/01: THW Kiel lose semi-finals against FC Barcelona (Spain) / winner: Portland San Antonio (Spain)
2001/02: SC Magdeburg win finals against Fotex Veszprém (Hungary) after the Hungarians beat Leon and Portland on the way. / winner: SC Magdeburg (Germany)
2002/03: (first time with two German teams): SC Magdeburg lose quarterfinals against Portland San Antonio, THW Kiel lose quarterfinals against Brule Ljubljana (Slovenian). At the end Portland lose the finals / winner: Montpellier (France)
2003/04: (first time three German teams): SG Flensburg–Handewitt lose finals against Celje (Slovenia), SC Magdeburg lose semi-finals against Flensburg, TBV Lemgo lose quarterfinals against Celje. The three Spanish sides get eliminated in the Last 16 (Barcelona by Veszprém and Leon by Celje) and in the semi-final (Ciudad Real by Celje) / winner: Pivovarna Lasko Celje (Slovenia)
2004/05: all three German clubs lose their quarterfinals. THW Kiel against FC Barcelona, SG Flensburg against Montpellier (France), TBV Lemgo against Celje (Slovenia). The Spanish sides are unbeatable: Portland knocked out by Barcelona in the Last 16, Ciudad Real also reach the finals / winner: FC Barcelona (Spain)
2005/06: SG Flensburg-Handewitt lose semi-finals against Ciudad Real, THW Kiel lose quarterfinals against Flensburg, SC Magdeburg lose quarterfinals against FC Barcelona and the Spanish teams dominate. Portland eliminate Leon on the way to the final / winner: Ciudad Real (Spain)
 2006/07: first ever all-German final. THW Kiel win against SG Flensburg, VfL Gummersbach lose quarterfinals against Valladolid, Flensburg beat Barcelona in the quarterfinals, Kiel beat Portland San Antonio in semi-finals, while Flensburg win against Valladolid. Ciudad Real eliminated by Portland in the quarterfinals / winner: THW Kiel (Germany)
2007/08: Flensburg lose both matches against Ciudad Real in the group phase; Gummersbach lose both matches against Ciudad Real in the Main Round; Kiel with one defeat and one victory against Ademar Leon; Flensburg with one draw and one defeat against Portland; Hamburg with one victory and one defeat against Portland.
TEXT: Björn Pazen
|
