The two-time consecutive European champion returned to the knockout phase of the Champions League after a one-year break, but stopped at the first hurdle - the Buducnost Bemax handball players were also defeated by Ferencvaros (27:22) in the second leg in the "Erd Arena", so with a total of minus nine from the elites have a bye in the round of XNUMX.
The double match was practically settled seven days earlier in Morača, where the Hungarians won 28:24, but it was important for the team to preserve the dignity of the only club that scored up to 8.000 goals in the strongest European competition.
That goal was fulfilled, because the elected officials of Bojana Popović did not give in in the great atmosphere in the city next to Budapest, but put up a dignified resistance.
Until the middle of the second half, when Kinga Janurik saved several shots in a row, and the "blues" were tied by technical errors, Ferencvaros could not gain more than a two-goal advantage.
For the first time, in the 42nd minute, Alicija Štole brought the Hungarian team plus three (20:17), which resolved all dilemmas, if there were any at all.
Soon there were four differences (22:18 and 23:19), and it could have been even more, if Armel Atingre had not "taken off" her boots.
Ivona Pavićević made it back to minus two with two goals, but it was obvious that the visitors were struggling without Milena Raičević, who left the game in the middle of the second half because she felt pain after contact.
Even so, Budućnost was able to equalize, but with the score 24:22, they missed two tied counters - first, Janurik saved keeper Nikolina Vukčević, and then Pavićević lost the ball.
The home team punished that and with the goals of Greta Marton, Sandra Seleši-Zacik and Katrin Klujber they reached the final plus five.
Pavićević was the most effective with seven goals, Raičević scored six, Ivana Godeč five, and Matea Pletikosić four. No other player entered the list of scorers.
The home team was led by Štole and Anđela Malestein with five goals each. FTC's rival in the quarterfinals will be the French champion Metz.
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