Article by Costi Prună – Published on Saturday, 16 May 2026, 12:09 / Updated on Saturday, 16 May 2026 12:14
Dijon's 5,000-seat “JDA” arena is hosting the EHF European League Final Four this weekend. Thuringer, Viborg, Dijon and Esztergom are the 4 teams that will compete to win the trophy.
Thuringer – Viborg, semi-final 1, 16:00
Thuringer is the trophy holder and qualified for the Final Four after getting past Danish side Nykoping 67-64 in the quarterfinals. Ahead of the quarter-finals, Thuringer won Group A with 8 points from 4 wins in 6 matches.
Thiuringer's main scorer is left winger Johanna Reichert, who scored 98 goals in 8 games.
The German team is coached by Herbert Muller and qualified for the final tournament for the third time in the last 4 years.
Herbert Muller: “Qualifying the Final Four is special for me!”
“Qualifying in F4 is absolutely special for us, and for me, all these international matches are so beautiful, because they are so well deserved. After a long and good season in Germany, you now have to fight for your nation, and last year's victory makes it even more special.
Herbert Muller, Thuringer's coach/ Photo: Imago
For us, it's a great situation. To have the chance to defend your title is something that doesn't happen every day,” said Thuringer's coach Herbert Muller.
A possible first “7” for Thuringer: Kuske, Szabo, Reichert, Aizawa, Scheib, Hendrikse, Hanfland.
Viborg is favorite with Thuringer
Thuringer's opponent is Danish side Viborg who are returning to the semi-finals of the competition after a 4-year break when they won silver in 2022.
Viborg has a track record 9 European trophiesincluding 3 Champions Leagues, and the last time he won the Cup Winners' Cup in 2014.
Louise Sondergaard will leave Viborg. Photo: Instagram
To reach the Final Four, Viborg finished Group D in 2nd place with 8 points obtained from 3 wins and 2 draws, and in the quarter-finals they passed Rapid with an overall score of 61-58.
For today's semifinal with Thuringer, Viborg is the favorite at bookmakers with odds of 1.45-1.58, while Thuringer is priced at 2.77-3.10.
A probable first “7” for Viborg: Jensen, Baumann, Martinsen, Petersen, Sondegaard, Schmidt, Hald.
Dijon – Esztergom, semi-final 2, 19:00
JDA Dijon qualified for F4 after starting the competition in the 3rd preliminary round where they got past the Spanish team Bera Bera with the overall score of 49-46, and then in group D they ranked first with 9 points obtained from 4 wins and a draw.
The decisive step for the semi-finals was achieved after the victory in the quarter-finals against Lokomotiva Zagreb, overall score 58-40. The top scorer for the French team in the 10 matches of the EHF European League was the Danish coordinator, Stine Lonborg, with 62 successes.
Last season Dijon took the bronze medal in the Final Four.
Clement Alcacer: “It's amazing what the girls have achieved!”
“It's amazing what the girls have achieved. I'm proud of the team because I know how hard they've worked to get back into F4. They've made a lot of sacrifices. To get back into F4 twice in a row is very difficult.
Dijon coach Clement Alcacer (left). Photo: Imago
For some players and coaches it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and getting the chance to play at home is incredible. We can play in front of family, friends, supporters, partners. It's amazing for the club and the people who work so hard to make this project happen. It's a great reward for everyone,” said Dijon coach Clement Alcacer.
A possible first “7” for Dijon: Dos Reis, Dury, Vautier, Lonborg, Sivertsen, Gayet, Pintat.
Ballai Anna (Esztergom)/ Photo: Instagram
Gabor Elek: “We are very proud and happy!”
The Hungarian team Esztergom is coached by Gabor Elek and is a debutant in European doubles. Esztergom started the competition in the 3rd preliminary round where they beat Red Star Belgrade 56-52, and in group B they ranked first with 9 points obtained from 4 wins and a draw.
In the quarterfinals, Esztergom won the double with championship rival Mosonmagyarovari, overall score 68-52.
For today's semi-final with Dijon, Esztergom is rated 2.20-2.40, while the French formation is seen as the favorite with a share of 1.77-1.90.
“We are very proud and very happy to be here. But we would be really happy and proud if we could win a medal at the end of this weekend.
We know that the home team will get a lot of support from the fans, but we don't think this will have any effect on our players, because in the Hungarian championship, we play many matches with full houses. So we're used to the noise and the fans. The most important thing for us is to enjoy the game,” said coach Gabor Elek.
A probable first “7” for Esztergom: Bukovszky, Schatzl, Farago, Horvath, Jacques, Kovacs, Szmolek.
List of champions
Photo: Instagram @ehfel_official
