Four clubs. Two days. One trophy. And this year’s HYLO® ETTU Champions League Men Final 4 in Saarbrücken has everything needed for a spectacular showdown.
Olympic champions, World Championship medallists, Europe’s biggest stars and some of the most ambitious clubs on the continent will take over Saarlandhalle this weekend, with thousands of fans expected to create another unforgettable atmosphere.
Defending champions 1. FC Saarbrücken TT return to their home arena chasing a third consecutive Final 4 title and a fourth straight Champions League crown overall. But standing in their way are three clubs arriving with their own momentum, belief and major ambitions: Borussia Düsseldorf, Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier TT and KS Orlen Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki.
The spotlight naturally falls first on Saarbrücken. The German club once again arrives with a line-up that almost looks unreal on paper.
At the centre stands FAN Zhendong, reigning Olympic champion, current World No. 1 and owner of nine World Championship gold medals. Alongside him are Truls Moregard, Europe’s current No. 1 and Olympic silver medallist, Darko JORGIC Europe’s No. 5, and Patrick Franziska NO.8, one of Germany’s key players for years on both club and international level.
“Of course we want to win the fourth title in a row,” said FRANZISKA. “We have a really, really strong team with so many good players.”
Still, Saarbrücken know there will be no easy matches at this level, especially against a dangerous KS Orlen Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki side that continues to grow year after year.
Bogoria reached the Final 4 for the second consecutive season after another impressive European campaign. One of the key figures remains veteran Panagiotis GIONIS, whose experience perfectly complements the rise of young Polish star Milosz REDZIMSKI.
“We know it will be extremely difficult against Saarbrücken,” admitted GIONIS. “They are an unbelievable team, especially at home, with fantastic fans and world-class players. But we will try our best.”
REDZIMSKI also believes last season’s Final 4 experience could help the team remain calmer in decisive moments.
“Playing in the Final 4 is always something special, and having players in the team who already experienced these matches helps us stay calm and focused,” he explained.
The second semi-final brings together two clubs with enormous quality and completely different stories.
On one side stands Borussia Düsseldorf, the most successful club in European table tennis history. Six Champions League titles, six Cup of European Champions trophies and four ETTU Cup victories tell only part of the story of a club that has dominated European table tennis for decades.
Now entering a new chapter after the retirement of legendary Timo BOLL, Düsseldorf still arrives with huge ambitions. European champion Qiu DANG Europe’s No. 6, leads the team alongside Swede Anton KALLBERG currently occupying position No. 10, and American star Kanak JHA.
“We really need to come up with something special for our semi-final against Montpellier and play our best table tennis,” admitted coach Danny HEISTER.
Because waiting on the other side is probably the hottest team in European table tennis right now Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier TT.
The French champions started their campaign all the way back in Stage 1 and kept building confidence with every round.
At the heart of the project are brothers Felix LEBRUN and Alexis LEBRUN Europe’s No. 2 and 3, now firmly established among the world’s elite after another outstanding performance with France at the ITTF World Team Championships Finals in London.
Felix arrives in Saarbrücken after one of the best tournaments of his career, including a sensational victory over World No. 1 LIN Shidong.
“It was a great tournament for us that unfortunately ended in the semi-finals,” Felix said after France’s bronze-medal run. “I’m proud of our team and the way we played.”
Alexis also admits the confidence inside the French squad is growing fast.
“We played a great tournament in London and finished with a beautiful medal, so I come to the Final 4 with a lot of confidence,” said Alexis.
And yes, last season’s defeat to Düsseldorf is still somewhere in the back of their minds.
“For sure we want to take our revenge,” Alexis smiled. “But the real goal is to reach the final.”
With packed stands expected, emotions already building and four clubs believing they can lift the trophy, Saarbrücken is once again ready to become the centre of European club table tennis.
