Main facts
- Nykøbing Falster Håndbold are part of group C together with DVSC Schaeffler, Sola HK and HC Podravka Vegeta
- the team’s captain is former Danish national player, Kristina “Mulle” Kristiansen
- NFH beat Danish League opponents Viborg HK on the way to the group phase
- coach Jakob Larsen is in the middle of his sixth season at the club
Most important question: Can NFH continue riding a wave of success?
Nykøbing Falster currently sit fourth in the Danish league and beat EHF Finals 2022 runners-up Viborg HK to make it to this stage in the EHF European League. In December they beat EHF Champions League participants Team Esbjerg 32:27 in a Danish league match. The results show NFH steadily climbing the rankings in Denmark, and now they have a chance to make a splash in Europe too.
How they rate themselves
It is the first time ever that Nykøbing Falster Håndbold have reached the EHF European League Women group phase. They took part in the qualification round in 2019/20, losing to Paris 92. However, the team does have experience in the second-tier European competition, having reached the semi-finals of the EHF Cup in 2016/17 and the quarter-finals in 2018/19. They also played in the EHF Champions League in 2017/18, getting to the main round.
Although the club is happy to have reached this point in the European League, qualification is about more than handball, according to the club's director, John Brædder.
“Our part of Denmark and the world, Lolland-Falster, is getting more and more international. This is why we find it very important for NHF to participate in the EHF European League, to brand our area internationally and create a good base for recruiting talented new players,” Brædder says.
Under the spotlight: Kristina “Mulle” Kristiansen
NFH’s captain is former Danish national team player Kristina "Mulle" Kristiansen. She is especially looking forward to the new and different challenges of the European League.
“As a player it is always a positive challenge to play international games with other forms of handball-culture to gain inspiration and competitiveness on ‘the big scene’,” Kristiansen says.
But how does she see her team's chances in the tournament?
“We are still a young team seeking international experience, se we don’t consider ourselves among the favorites like Ikast Håndbold and others, but we believe we can go quite far by the help of our great fans,” Kristiansen thinks.
