One Veszprém HC Punches Ticket to Champions League Quarterfinals After Thriller in Paris
One Veszprém HC has officially secured a spot in the Men’s Handball Champions League quarterfinals, holding their nerve in a high-stakes battle against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Thursday, April 9, 2026. A hard-fought 35-35 draw in the second leg was more than enough to send the Hungarian side through, ensuring that both Veszprém and Szeged will represent Hungary in the next round of the competition.
Veszprém entered the return leg in Paris with a massive cushion, having dominated the first leg at the Veszprém Aréna with a commanding 32-24 victory. That eight-goal advantage provided a vital safety net, though the French giants proved they were still a formidable force on their own turf.
The match in Paris began with Veszprém looking relentless, racing to an early 4-1 lead within the first five minutes. While PSG attempted to claw back under the leadership of Kamil Syprzak, the Hungarian champions maintained their composure, leading by four goals at the fifteen-minute mark. However, the momentum shifted as the French side produced a 4-0 run to level the score at 13-13, eventually taking the lead via a goal from Yahia Omar.
The first half ended in a tense atmosphere, with Veszprém trailing 20-18 thanks to a crucial last-second seven-meter penalty converted by Gasper Marguc. Despite the halftime deficit, Veszprém’s overall performance across the two legs remained superior.
A pivotal factor in the progression was the stellar performance of goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales, who recorded 13 saves to frustrate the PSG attack. In contrast, the two PSG goalkeepers combined for only ten saves. This defensive resilience was a continuation of the form seen in the first leg, where Xavier Pascual’s squad neutralized PSG’s primary threats, Elohim Prandi and Yahia Omar, through the combined efforts of Ligetvári Patrik, Dragan Pesmalbek, Ahmed Hesam, and Thiagus Petrus.
The result extends Veszprém’s historical edge in this rivalry. Across 20 Champions League encounters between the two clubs, Veszprém now holds ten victories to PSG’s eight, with this latest match marking only the second draw in their history.
With the aggregate score firmly in their favor, One Veszprém HC now moves forward in the tournament, continuing a season where they have remained remarkably resilient, having not suffered a defeat by more than five goals throughout the year.
