Barça Take Their Twelfth Trophy, Vardar in the Expanded Champions League, Pelister Reinforce

Barcelona Win Their Twelfth Trophy, Gidsel Writes Records in Cologne

The season in the Champions League ended the way it most often ends - with Barcelona on top. The Catalans beat Füchse Berlin 37:34 in the final in Cologne and lifted their twelfth trophy, while Magdeburg took bronze with 32:26 against Aalborg. Füchse's right back, Mathias Gidsel, is for the second year running the top scorer with a record 161 goals, while Domen Makuc of Barcelona was named most valuable player. The Final Four in Cologne also broke the attendance record - 20,122 spectators at a single semi-final. Handball, quietly, without football's noise, has built the biggest stage in European club sport.

The Champions League Grows to 24 Teams - And Vardar Is In

From the 2026/27 season, the men's Champions League expands from 16 to 24 teams, split into six groups of four. For Macedonian handball this isn't a statistic - Vardar 1961 is among the confirmed clubs in the elite, alongside names like Barcelona, PSG, Veszprém and Kiel. The draw for the group stage is on Friday, June 26, in Vienna, and the men's season starts on September 9 and 10. A bigger format means more matches, but also more chances for Balkan clubs to measure themselves against the biggest. For Vardar, the question isn't whether they'll be there - but how long they'll hold out against budgets measured in tens of millions.

Štrlek Back in Zagreb's Jersey - the Veteran Returns to Familiar Waters

The experienced left winger Manuel Štrlek will once again wear the jersey of Zagreb, the club where he already built his career. A veteran's return to a familiar team is rarely a big transfer in the headlines, but for Croatian and regional handball it means a dose of experience money can't buy. Zagreb has for decades been one of the constants of Balkan handball in Europe - and when it calls back a player like Štrlek, it's the move of a team leaning on the sure thing, not on promises.

Pelister Complete the Mosaic - a Serbian International for Červar

Eurofarm Pelister of Bitola have closed their list of signings for the new season with a ninth name: Serbian centre back Aleksa Kolaković, a 28-year-old international arriving from Saint-Raphaël. The contract is for one season with an option for another, and next season the team is led by the legendary Lino Červar. Bitola is building a team that doesn't just want to take part - it wants to compete. With a coach who has a European name and a roster full of experience, Pelister is making it clear that the runners-up role is no longer enough for them.

Super Cup on September 3 - Vardar and RK Ohrid Open the Season With a Trophy

The new handball season at home begins with a derby for a trophy: Vardar as champions and RK Ohrid as Macedonian Cup finalists will play for the Super Cup on September 3, though the city and the hall are not yet known. And the Super League schedule immediately delivered a twist - the draw paired the winner of the EHF European Cup, RK Ohrid, with runners-up Pelister in the very first round. Macedonian handball may not have the budgets of the western clubs, but it has something money doesn't guarantee - derbies that burn from the first day of the season.