Barça leads Champions League group after beating Dinamo București

Barça holds a commanding lead in the EHF Champions League Group E standings after securing a 34-27 victory against Dinamo București, extending its perfect record to three wins from three matches. Meanwhile, the group has been thrown into complete uncertainty following an unexpected defeat suffered by Montpellier.

Montpellier stumbles against tournament debutants

Despite entering the European campaign as the theoretical toughest challenger to Barça, Montpellier damaged its qualification hopes by losing 36-32 away to Skanderborg Aarhus. The Danish club, appearing in the competition for the first time, capitalized on the French side’s defensive lapses to claim points on home court. The upset catapults Aarhus into second place in Group E with three points, completely altering the projected hierarchy behind the Catalan powerhouse.

How the new 24-team Champions League format works

Under the expanded format featuring 24 clubs divided into preliminary groups, the top two finishers from each group advance directly to the second phase while carrying forward the head-to-head points earned against each other. The bottom two teams in each group are reassigned to the EHF European League, the continent’s secondary club competition. The subsequent round features two groups of six teams each, from which the top four clubs ultimately punch their tickets to the quarterfinals.

Unbeaten giants control other preliminary groups

Across the rest of the continent’s elite competition, teams have staked their claims early in the preliminary round. In Group A, One Veszprém maintained a flawless record by defeating Partizan 37-26, while Füchse Berlin dispatched FC Porto 40-32. Veszprém leads the group with six points, followed by Füchse with four, Porto with two, and Partizan scoreless. Group B remains tightly contested after MT Melsungen beat HBC Nantes 28-23 and Orlen Wisła Płock defeated HC Vardar 26-32, leaving Melsungen, Płock, and Nantes deadlocked at four points apiece.

Tight margins define Group C and Group D action

Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed RK Celje 46-35 in Group C, keeping pace with Aalborg, which cruised past HC Zagreb 33-23 to share the group summit with five points each. In Group D, GOG secured a 37-32 victory away against IF Kristianstad. Sporting enters the weekend holding four points alongside GOG, with a game in hand awaiting their Saturday fixture away against Pick Szeged. In Group E, Barça leads with six points, Aarhus sits second with three, Montpellier holds two, and Dinamo București rounds out the table with one point.

Magdeburg and Veszprém match Barça’s perfect start

Sporting can join the group of undefeated sides if they secure a victory on the road against Pick Szeged.