Article by Costi Prună – Published on Saturday, 21 February 2026, 10:49 / Updated on Saturday, 21 February 2026 10:50
CSM Bucharest plays today in the Polivalenta hall against the Danish team Ikast, in the last stage of the group stage of the Champions League. The match starts at 19:00 and will be broadcast live by Digi Sport and Prima Sport 3.
CSM Bucharest needs a win against Ikast to stay at least in 3rd place in the group.
LIVE 19:00 » CSM Bucharest – Ikast
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A possible first “7” for CSM Bucharest: Moreschi, Friis, Jaukovic, Omoregie, Maslova, Ostergaard, Brnovic.
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A likely first “7” for Ikast: Idehn, Nolsoe, Scaglione, Roberts, Skogrand, Brand, Hogseth.
CSM Bucharest can finish the group in any of the 1-5 places!
The Romanian champion can also finish the group in second place, if she wins with ikast and Odense does not beat FTC. Interestingly, the Tigresses can also finish in 4th place if they lose to Ikast, and FTC lose in Odense.
In the event of a loss to Ikast, CSM can drop to 5th place if FTC wins in Odense.
The most optimistic calculation is the 1st place for CSM, but here two other less plausible hypotheses must be fulfilled: the group leader, Brest, to lose in Krim, and Odense not to win with FTC.
Kristina Novak is injured!
Norwegian Kristina Novak will not play at CSM due to a shoulder injury, but Djurdjna Jaukovic will return after suspension.
CSM Bucharest has won the last 7 matches in the Champions League and the bookmakers consider it the favorite for today's match with Ikast.
The Romanian champion is rated with 1.28-1.34, while Ikast has a rate of 4.10-4.26.
It's a special match for me, but that's okay, I like a lot of the girls, but when we play against each other I want to win, just as much as when I played at Ikast. The atmosphere in the team is good; we train well and play well, that's why we're here.
– said the Danish Emma Friis for the EHF website.
Claus Mogensen: “CSM showed a lot of strength in 2026”!
Ikast is 5th in the group with 16 points and needs a win with CSM to finish 3rd or 4th.
In the round leg, Ikast defeated CSM 28-27, with a goal scored in the last phase by Emillie Arnzten.
In the previous stage of the Champions League, Ikast lost at home against Odense, 30-33, a match in which left winger Julie Scaglione scored 9 goals from 15 shots.
We know that a very difficult match awaits us, because CSM Bucharest has shown great strength in 2026, achieving only victories in the EHF Champions League. It is interesting that so many scenarios are in play in the final round, and all the top five teams will be fighting for the best possible position ahead of the play-offs and direct qualification to the quarter-finals.
– said Ikast's coach, Claus Mogensen.
