Over the seasons, Emil Nielsen has established himself as one of the greatest players in his position, and the 2025-2026 edition of the EHF Champions League has been no exception for the Danish goalkeeper. The former Nantes player is determined to win one last European title with the Catalan club before joining Veszprém next season (where he will replace Rodrigo Corrales, who is returning to Paris). With 75 saves (at a 35% clip), Barcelona's last line of defence ranks second on the saaves chart after seven matchdays, behind only Ignacio Biosca (Nantes, 84 saves).
Under Carlos Ortega, Nielsen forms a complementary duo with Viktor Hallgrimsson, who arrived this summer from Plock. This pair of former Nantes players will have to be taken very seriously, as both are capable of completely turning a match around when they are on form.
The French contingent in Barcelona could also pose a threat to Coubertin, both through their good teamwork and their individual talents. On the left side, Timothey N'Guessan and Jonathan Carlsbogard form an experienced pair, while retaining an element of unpredictability in their play. Already with 29 goals this season, the 30-year-old Frenchman could benefit from more playing time than his Swedish counterpart. The right flank leaves no room for doubt, with a master and an apprentice.
Dika Mem will undoubtedly be one of the biggest threats, combining power, vision and team spirit to subdue opposing defences. His apprentice, Djordje Cikusa, has already crossed paths with the capital club thanks to his loan spell at Montpellier last season. The 19-year-old Spanish international seems to be maturing with each passing month and undoubtedly represents the next generation of Iberian handball. In the centre, Ludovic Fabregas is back after two seasons with Veszprém. This is a godsend for Carlos Ortega, who can now alternate between the French giant and Luis Frade who, at 27, is also a first-rate option.
If Barcelona's attack is performing slightly below its usual standards, it is partly because the team has been overhauled, with several talented players finding their feet week by week. However, they are more than capable of performing at the highest level, as they have already proven several times so far this season. On the left wing in particular, Ian Barrufet is back from a more than convincing loan spell at Melsungen. The young Spaniard, who scored 90 goals during the EHF European League campaign, was absent from the semi-final defeat to Flensburg, who went on to beat Montpellier in the final. The son of legendary goalkeeper Daniel Barrufet has already found the back of the net 20 times this season - his first EHF Champions League campaign.
The left wing has thus been completely revamped, as Daniel Fernandez has also returned to his former club after five years travelling between Spain and Germany, where the 24-year-old Spaniard played for Stuttgart until last season. On the right flank, Aleix Gomez is a sure bet, and the Parisian back line will have to be vigilant to stop the momentum of the Blaugrana's top scorer this season (40 goals). With 17 goals in the last two games against Magdeburg, the right winger is in impressive form and should have the edge over Blaz Janc. However, the Slovenian should not be underestimated, as evidenced by his haul of 18 goals in seven games.
Finally, at centre-half, Domen Makuc is looking to end his Barcelona career on a high note, as he will be joining Kiel next season. Barcelona seem to have already planned for this, with the signing of Seif El-Deera from Limoges in the summer. Together, the Slovenian and Egyptian internationals will be responsible for mentoring young Petar Cikusa throughout the season.