After eliminating record champions Vardar 1961, the Nasice based team face their domestic rivals PPD Zagreb for the second time in the semi-final.

In 2019 at Brest, Nexe had their debut at the SEHA - Gazprom League Final 4, now the Croatian runners-up made it again to the pinnacle event. Like in 2019, the team of head coach Branko Tamse have the same semi-final opponent ahead: record participants PPD Zagreb.

For the third time in the SEHA Final 4 history, two clubs from the same country fight for a final ticket: in 2013, Vardar beat Metalurg 21:20, and in 2019, Zagreb took the upper hand against Nexe by a clear 28:23. Both Croatian sides had taken extremely narrow quarter-final victories.

Semi-final 1:
2 September, 18.00 CEST local time:
HC Nexe (CRO) vs PPD Zagreb (CRO)

Zadar will see the clash of the Croatian handball giants: After Nexe managed to beat PPD Zagreb last season for the first time since years in the domestic league and later on had their first ever appearance at the EHF European League final tournament in Lisbon, the team of head coach Branko Tamse hopes for another miracle against their reinforced country-fellows. Tamse had been Zagreb coach some years ago - and will be especially motivated against his former club, which is a record participant at the SEHA - Gazprom League Final 4 with now eleven appearances in eleven editions.

Three times in the last four years, Zagreb was SEHA - Gazprom League finalist, but three times finished second, beaten by Vardar twice (2018, 2019) and Veszprem (2021, after a penalty shootout) in the respective finals. Therefore, PPD’s only appearance on the winners’ podium dates back to 2013, when they had beaten Vardar in the final at Skopje.
Nexe now has qualified for the second time for the SEHA - Gazprom League Final 4 - and the Nasice based side was very lucky in the quarter-final: They needed a penalty shootout to eliminate the SEHA - Gazprom League record winners Vardar (five trophies). After an outstanding performance of goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanovic (nine saves), Nexe secured a 28:28 after regular time, then Vardar’s Darko Djukic and Filip Taleski failed from the penalty line. Like in 2021, when ruled out by Covid cases, Vardar missed the ticket to the Final 4.

Zagreb’s way to Zadar was similarly close: After a clear 10:6 advance in the opening stage of the quarter-final against Vojvodina in Novi Sad, the hosts improved, but finally, Zvonimir Zrna sealed the deal with a buzzer-beating strike for the 24:23 victory.

In the previous SEHA - Gazprom League season, Zagreb had been eliminated by Vardar in the quarter-finals, but then had replaced the Macedonian record champions. At Zadar, Zagreb must go through two penalty shootouts, first beating Meshkov Brest in the semi 38:37, then losing to Veszprem 29:31. Previously, Veszprem had eliminated Nexe in the quarter-finals by two victories (35:33, 30:25).

Zagreb had many changes before the new season 2022/23, which sees its first highlight right with the SEHA Final 4 in Zadar - their biggest signing is former Vardar legend and four times SEHA - Gazprom League winner Timur Dibirov. Besides, the two Serbian top talents Stefan Dodic and Milan Mihic and Slovenian goalkeeper Aljaz Panjtar joined the team of Ivica Obrvan. Among those, who left, are some Croatian national team players such as David Mandic, Marin Sipic and Sandro Obranovic.

Nexe lost their top scorer in all competitions - and even overall top scorer of the EHF European League Halil Jaganjac, who went to Rhein-Neckar Löwen on loan from Lomza Vive Kielce. From 2009 until 2022, Nexe had permanently been runners-up of the Croatian league below Zagreb.

In the SEHA - Gazprom League, PPD Zagreb won 15 of 17 duels against Nexe, tied only once in 2011 and lost 22:23 in 2018. Their last duel in this competition was the 2019 semi-final at Brest.

Photo credit: kolektiffimages