(Un)informed Handball Hour

The biggest weekend of the handball calendar is upon us and we celebrate with a big preview of the showdown in Cologne with Björn Pazen and an interview with Vincent Gerard. The Champions League winner and Olympic gold medallist retired after Paris 2024 and battling through a tough season to even get there, but accepted the call from Barça after their own injury problems between the posts. We speak to Vincent about his unexpected comeback, returning to this level, the hardships of last year and what it takes to come out on top in Cologne. With Björn, we dive into the four contenders and Saturday's semi-finals. How will Berlin react after claiming a historic first Bundesliga title and is Mathias Gidsel on the verge of the greatest single season in handball? Can Nantes upset the favourites and reignite the fine tradition of surprise winners? We discuss how reigning champions Barça will shape up after their routine end to the domestic season. And will we see Zombie Magdeburg strike once again with Gisli Kristjannson, or can they go all the way with Felix Claar at the wheel?

This is a teaser of our latest Morning Club episode, which is available in full exclusively on patreon.com/handballhour It's the wonderful time of the season where we're treated to multi-game league finals in countries like Hungary, Poland and Denmark, which are serving up plenty of drama and entertainment. Ahead of their impending first league title, Berlin announced a spicy new signing but the biggest transfer news is the transfers that won't be happening as Sporting hold on to Costa, Costa and Salvador Salvador. Plus we react to the first episode of entrepreneur and returning handball player Lewis Howes documentary as he chases his Olympic dreams at the age of 42.

Györ are the queens of Europe once again following a weekend where they did not trail for a single minute. We look at their journey to gold and where they had the edge over their Danish opponents, bask in the brilliant glow of Katrine Lunde and wonder where it all went wrong for the two teams still haunted by the semi-final curse.

It's time to discover the best women's team in Europe and we look forward to the FINAL4 by chatting to reigning champion Bruna de Paula as she and Györ aim to defend their crown in Budapest. We get Danijela Vekic and Adrian Costeiu together for the first time on the pod to discuss the four contenders, considering what makes Györ favourites again, how newcomers Odense will be a threat and whether Esbjerg or Metz can end their semi-final curse.

Flensburg retained their European League title over the weekend, thanks in no small part to a dominant performance by Kevin Møller in goal. We look back at the action and where the title was won and lost. Aron Palmarsson has announced his retirement at the age of 34, is this kind of player a dying breed? We discuss this and the postponed European Cup final in Skopje.