Esbjerg once again proved an unsolved puzzle for CSM on home court in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. For the fourth time at this stage, the Romanian side left Denmark without a win after they also suffered defeats in 2024/25 and 2023/24, while they only managed a draw in the 2021/22 return leg, to miss out on the Final Four in the prestigious tournament by a single goal.
As expected, this match turned into a drama as so many times in the past. After a balanced first half, Esbjerg took the lead in the second half, as they tighgtened their their defence and extended their lead to 21-17. But CSM responded, with Bojana Popovic adjusting the defence and bringing Evelina Eriksson back between the posts, helping the Romanians to launch a comeback as they fought their way back to level terms (25-25) with two minutes to go.
With another narrow first-leg result, the tie remains wide open ahead of the rematch in Romania.
Should Esbjerg manage to hold on to their lead, it will be their fifth consecutive Final Four appearance, while CSM head into the return leg hoping that the fourth attempt will finally be the charm against Esbjerg and secure their first final tournament appearance since the 2017/18 season.