01.06.2014, 12:00
Cologne to see first all-German final

FINAL PREVIEW: THW Kiel head for their fourth EHF Champions League title in the rematch of the 2007 final against VELUX EHF FINAL4 debutants Flensburg

Cologne to see first all-German final

After the most sensational return ever since the implementation of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne, SG Flensburg-Handewitt are full of confidence for winning their first ever EHF Champions League title. The team of head coach Ljubomir Vranjes will take on their Northern German neighbours THW Kiel on Sunday at 18:00 hrs. local time in the first all-German final in Cologne.

THW beat Veszprem a little bit clearer (29:26) than Flensburg overcame Barcelona in the penalty-shoot-out (41:39) before. Both sides have already faced in the 2007 Champions League final, with Kiel finishing as the close winner to take their first ever trophy in this competition. For Flensburg it is the third ever Champions League final in the club history - after the defeats against Celje (2004) and Kiel (2007).

THW - winner of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 already in 2010 and 2012 - competes in their overall sixth final of the EHF Champions League, and never lost a final of this competition against a non-Spanish team, since they only had been defeated by Barcelona (2000) and Ciudad Real (2008, 2009). In 2010 they had ended this “Spanish curse” by winning the final against Barcelona. And every time Kiel made it to the final in Cologne they won it.

The match will be something special for SG goalkeeper Mattias Andersson, who is the only player of his team, who already won the Champions League trophy - 2007 with THW Kiel. And it will be the last match in the THW jersey for Christian Zeitz, who - like Dominik Klein - can make history by winning his fourth trophy with the same club.

“We know each other very well, so everything is open,” is the hope of Flensburg coach Ljubomir Vranjes. In seven matches of EHF European Cup competitions Kiel have beaten their local rival four times, SG took the victory twice, one match ended with a tie.

The overall balance including all domestic matches is even clearer for Kiel: 48 wins, four draws and 25 defeats. In the current Bundesliga season each team won their home matches: Flensburg by 34:30 and Kiel by 33:25.

“Our dream came true, for most of it us it was the first ever Champions League semi-final, now we are in the final, simply brilliant, everything is open”, said Flensburg right back Steffen Weinhold.

On the other hand, THW are more than confident: “We never gave up in the semi-final and now we fight for the next trophy of a brilliant season,” team captain Filip Jicha said. Like Klein and Zeitz, coach Alfred Gislason can win his fourth Champions League trophy after 2002 (Magdeburg), 2010 and 2012. “I am so proud of my team, now we want to go the next and final step,” the Icelandic said.

TEXT: Björn Pazen / br