Handball goalkeeper Fabian Norsten came on in goal for Aalborg in place of Danish legend Niklas Landin with five minutes left to play in the semi-final in Cologne against Barcelona, in a repeat of the 2024 final.
The Swede saved two of five shots and Aalborg - where Felix Möller and Lukas Nilsson also play - was able to level it at 28–28. The Danes then had the opportunity to reach the final, but failed in their final attack in regular time.
Decided in extra time
Instead, it went to overtime, and Barcelona and Swedish national team star Jonathan Carlsbogård pulled away to a 37–32 victory.
In Sunday's final, Füchse Berlin await, having got revenge for last year's final. Magdeburg was defeated 40–35, and it was national team centre back Max Darj who effectively decided the semi-final when he scored to make it 37–33 with just over four minutes left. It was the defense specialist's first and only goal of the match.
Magdeburg - with Felix Claar, Albin Lagergren, Oscar Bergendahl and Daniel Pettersson in the squad - had earlier turned a four-goal deficit into a 33–32 lead. But then Berlin responded with six straight goals.
Won twelve CL titles
Last year, Magdeburg won the all-German final and took the club's fifth CL title. Claar in particular did not have his best day. The star scored only four of ten shots, while Lagergren was more fortunate with six goals from seven shots.
Füchse Berlin played in the final for the first time last year. Barcelona has won the Champions League a record twelve times and Carlsbogård was there when the Catalan giants won their most recent title in 2024.
Corrected: In the previous version there was incorrect information about the number of titles for Magdeburg.
