22 hours · 2 summary articles
Fchse Berlin fall agonizingly short again as Barcelona claim 13th Champions League title
Fchse Berlin shock SC Magdeburg to reach Champions League final
Füchse Berlin’s quest for a first Champions League title ended in heartbreak for the second straight year on Saturday, as the German side fell 34:37 to FC Barcelona in the Cologne final before a record crowd. The defeat marks the Füchse’s third consecutive final loss in Europe’s premier club competition and extends Barcelona’s unmatched dominance to a 13th crown.
The match, played inside the Lanxess Arena, saw Barcelona control from the opening whistle, building a 17:10 halftime lead before withstanding a second-half surge by the Füchse. Berlin rallied to within three goals late in the third quarter, but a 6:0 Barcelona run in the final ten minutes sealed the outcome. Right back Magnus Fredriksen led the Füchse with eight goals, while Barcelona captain Dika Mem finished with seven in a virtuoso display.
“It’s devastating,” said Füchse head coach Velimir Petković. “We gave everything, but Barcelona were simply too strong. We’ll analyse every detail, but today we are silver medallists once again.”
The result continues a pattern of near-misses for the Füchse, who also lost the 2024 and 2025 finals. Club president Jochen Baur vowed to redouble efforts. “We will come back stronger,” Baur told reporters. “Our ambition remains unchanged: to bring the trophy to Berlin.”
Barcelona, meanwhile, cements its status as the competition’s most successful club. Coach Xavier Pascual reflected on the milestone: “This team has shown incredible character. To win here, in front of this crowd, against such quality, is something very special.”
The consolation prize went to SC Magdeburg, who defeated Aalborg 32:28 to claim third place. The tournament’s top scorer, Füchse pivot Nikola Bilyk, finished with 11 goals in the final, bringing his tournament tally to 89.
With two consecutive finals lost and Barcelona’s dynasty unbroken, the Füchse now face a summer of introspection. Yet the Lanxess Arena’s electric atmosphere and the club’s unwavering ambition suggest Berlin’s moment may yet arrive.